Occurrence and resource evaluation of the subsurface high-K brines in the Pingluoba brine-bearing structure in western Sichuan Basin

Zhou, Xun; Jiang, Changlong; Jing-bo, Zhao; Cao, Qi; Han, Jiajun; Wang, Xiaocui

doi:10.1007/s12665-015-4015-5

Cited by 8 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…The differences between the TDS, pH, and temperature of the saline or salty springs are related to the location occurrence of the springs, depth of groundwater circulation, residence time, hydrochemical processes, rock lithology, and the degree of the water alteration [39][40][41]. 6 Geofluids 7 Geofluids 4.1. The Occurrence of the Saline and Salty Springs.…”

Section: Characteristics Of the Saline And Salty Springs In The Sichumentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the sedimentary Sichuan Basin, subsurface brines and saline or salty springs (>35 g/L) of different hydrogeochemical characteristics coexist in the Mesozoic formations. Subsurface brine, enriched in elements such as K, Br, I, Li, Sr, Ba, Cs, and Rb, is an important raw material for agricultural and industrial purposes and is characterized by high total dissolved solids (TDS) ranging from tens to hundreds of grams per liter [7][8][9]. The chemical and isotopic compositions of subsurface brines provide important information on evaporation and subsurface dissolution processes, which are of great significance to the deposition of ancient evaporites and other ores [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Occurrence and Hydrochemical Characteristics of Saline and Salty Springs in the Sichuan Basin of China

et al. 2019

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Water samples from saline and salty springs (geothermal wells, n=64) with TDS of 2-83 g/L and temperature of 19-95°C were collected in the Sichuan Basin to explore the factors controlling the occurrence of the springs and the differences in hydrochemistry. The saline and salty springs mostly emerge at the margin of the basin where fault zones or anticlines occur, which are clearly controlled by the regional tectonic trend. The springs are mainly of SO4-Na type in the western basin, SO4-Ca·Na and HCO3-Na type in the southwestern basin, Cl-Na and Cl·SO4-Na type in the northeastern basin, and SO4-Ca type in the eastern basin. Good correlation between Na and Cl, Ca and SO4, and Mg and SO4 suggests that the major ions of springs in the Sichuan Basin are from incongruent dissolution of halite, gypsum, dolomite, and magnesium sulfate minerals present in the outcropping Cretaceous and Triassic and Permian strata (sandstone, gypsum, or anhydrite layers or lens) in the western basin. The presence of marine carbonate (limestone and dolomite) interbedded with evaporites (gypsum and halite) in the eastern basin explains the good correlations between SO4 and Ca and between Na and Cl. The groundwater is continuously heated by geothermal heat flow. A conceptual model for the formation of the saline and salty springs is proposed that hypothesizes meteoric water infiltrates in the core of anticlines that occur in the carbonate rocks with fractures or in the fault zones. The water flows into the limbs of the anticlines or deep aquifers along fault planes. During its subsurface transport, incongruent dissolution of carbonates and evaporites (including anhydrite and halite) in the Lower and Middle Triassic strata occurs and the groundwater is heated. The discharge areas are often in the low-lying areas along the limbs of anticlines where carbonate rocks crop out, in the low-lying areas of local river valleys that cut noncarbonate rocks, or in the Yangtze Valley and its tributaries where groundwater flows upward through the Upper Triassic clastic rocks.

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Section: Characteristics Of the Saline And Salty Springs In The Sichumentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Occurrence and Hydrochemical Characteristics of Saline and Salty Springs in the Sichuan Basin of China

et al. 2019

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“…Subsurface brines are also found enriched in some of the anticlines (Figure ) (these anticlines are referred to as brine‐bearing structures) and fault zones (Li et al ; Lin ; Zhang et al ), and brines occurring in these areas (e.g., the Ziliujing brine‐bearing structure) are exploitable. Under the natural conditions, the subsurface brines are stagnant and are isolated among different brine‐bearing formations and structures (Yang and Huang ; Lin ; Zhou et al ). Only in some cores of the anticlines in the eastern basin saline and salty springs occur as a result of the incongruent dissolution of the salt‐bearing strata of the Middle and Lower Triassic.…”

Section: Geological and Hydrological Settingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the Sichuan Basin, highly K‐rich brines (with the highest K concentration of 53.276 g/L) are found to occur mostly in the Lower and Middle Triassic carbonates. Previous studies have shown that the subsurface brines in the Sichuan Basin are characterized by (1) deeply‐buried, high pressure, and absent natural recharge, (2) high total dissolved solids (TDS) (ranging mostly from 35 to 350 g/L), and enrichment in trace elements such as Br, I, Li, Sr, Ba, Cs, Rb, and B, (3) development in anticlines and fault zones (Li et al ; Zhou et al ), and (4) nearly constant chemical constituents in the past decades (Yang and Wang 1989; Li et al ; Zhou et al ). However, the reasons that the subsurface K‐rich brines are of so high concentrations of potassium and why they are found in anticlines and fault zones are still unclear and need a further examination.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of the Subsurface K‐Rich Brines in the Triassic Carbonates in the Sichuan Basin of China

et al. 2017

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Subsurface K-rich brines are important mineral resources for fertilizer production while the evolution of such brines is poorly documented. In the Sichuan Basin in southwest China, they are found mainly in the Middle and Lower Triassic marine carbonate aquifers. Total dissolved solids of the brines range from 176 to 378 g/L and K concentrations, from 1.9 to 53.3 g/L. We found that the brines are mainly of Cl-Na type, while Ba is absent in the brines. Comparison of the brine samples with both the trajectories of ions and the newly proposed trajectories of ion ratios of evaporated seawater suggests that the brines are enriched in Ca, Sr, Li, and I, depleted in SO and Mg, and neither enriched nor depleted in Cl and Na. These brines underwent four evolutionary periods: (1) deposition of marine rocks, (2) deposition of continental clastics, (3) tectonic deformation, and (4) rock erosion. Precipitation of salt minerals, dolomitization, sulfate reduction, and recrystallization during the first two periods are responsible for the enrichment and depletion of the chemical constituents of the brines. Extremely high K concentrations in two wells, both tapping the Middle Triassic Leikoupo carbonate aquifers, are attributed to the subsurface dissolution of potash salts during the migration of the brines to the anticlines formed during the third period in the Paleogene age. Saline and salty springs emanate from the outcropping carbonates in the river valleys in some anticlines in the eastern basin due to incongruent dissolution of the salt-bearing carbonates during the fourth period.

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“…There are a large number of high-grade underground brine resources in the Sichuan Basin in western of China containing Li + , K + , Sr + , Mg 2+ , Br – , B 4 O 7 2– , and other useful elements, and its mineral resources reserves are extremely large . In the underground brine of the western Sichuan Basin, the bromine content is up to 2533 mg/L, and the strontium content is up to 3080 mg/L in Longnvsi, Sichuan Basin . Phase equilibrium and phase diagram research are the basis for the development of underground brine resources.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experiments and Prediction of Solid–Liquid Phase Equilibria in the Quinary System NaBr–KBr–MgBr₂–SrBr₂–H₂O and Its Quaternary Subsystem NaBr–MgBr₂–SrBr₂–H₂O at 308.2 K

Gao

Sang

et al. 2023

J. Chem. Eng. Data

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To efficiently exploit and utilize bromine-rich brine resources of China, solid–liquid phase equilibria of the quinary system NaBr–KBr–MgBr2–SrBr2–H2O (saturated with KBr) and the quaternary system NaBr–MgBr2–SrBr2–H2O at 308.2 K were studied in detail by the isothermal dissolution equilibrium method. The dry salt phase diagram of the quinary system NaBr–KBr–MgBr2–SrBr2–H2O (saturated with KBr) includes one invariant point, three isothermal dissolution curves, and three crystallization regions (NaBr·2H2O, KBr·MgBr2·6H2O, and SrBr2·6H2O) under the condition of KBr saturation. And the crystallization region of KBr·MgBr2·6H2O is the smallest, so KBr·MgBr2·6H2O is difficult to crystallize and precipitate. Similarly, The dry salt phase diagram of the quaternary system NaBr–MgBr2–SrBr2–H2O is composed of two invariant points, five isothermal solubility curves, and four crystallization fields, which are hydrate salts NaBr·2H2O, MgBr2·6H2O, and SrBr2·6H2O and anhydrous simple salt NaBr. The crystallization region of MgBr2·6H2O is the smallest, the solubility of magnesium bromide is the largest, and it is difficult to crystallize and precipitate in this saturated solution. Furthermore, the mixing ion-interaction parameter ΨNa, Sr, Br of Pitzer’s model is fitted, which can be used for the subsequent prediction of phase equilibria containing strontium system. In addition, the solubilities of salts in the quinary system and the quaternary subsystem were theoretically predicted, and the experimental value was compared with the calculated value. The calculated value was in good agreement with the experimental value.

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Occurrence and resource evaluation of the subsurface high-K brines in the Pingluoba brine-bearing structure in western Sichuan Basin

Cited by 8 publications

References 18 publications

Occurrence and Hydrochemical Characteristics of Saline and Salty Springs in the Sichuan Basin of China

Occurrence and Hydrochemical Characteristics of Saline and Salty Springs in the Sichuan Basin of China

Evolution of the Subsurface K‐Rich Brines in the Triassic Carbonates in the Sichuan Basin of China

Experiments and Prediction of Solid–Liquid Phase Equilibria in the Quinary System NaBr–KBr–MgBr₂–SrBr₂–H₂O and Its Quaternary Subsystem NaBr–MgBr₂–SrBr₂–H₂O at 308.2 K

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Occurrence and resource evaluation of the subsurface high-K brines in the Pingluoba brine-bearing structure in western Sichuan Basin

Cited by 8 publications

References 18 publications

Occurrence and Hydrochemical Characteristics of Saline and Salty Springs in the Sichuan Basin of China

Occurrence and Hydrochemical Characteristics of Saline and Salty Springs in the Sichuan Basin of China

Evolution of the Subsurface K‐Rich Brines in the Triassic Carbonates in the Sichuan Basin of China

Experiments and Prediction of Solid–Liquid Phase Equilibria in the Quinary System NaBr–KBr–MgBr2–SrBr2–H2O and Its Quaternary Subsystem NaBr–MgBr2–SrBr2–H2O at 308.2 K

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Experiments and Prediction of Solid–Liquid Phase Equilibria in the Quinary System NaBr–KBr–MgBr₂–SrBr₂–H₂O and Its Quaternary Subsystem NaBr–MgBr₂–SrBr₂–H₂O at 308.2 K