Solute inputs in the Salar de Atacama (N. Chile)

Carmona, V.; Pueyo, Juan José; Taberner, C.; Chong, Guillermo; Thirlwall, M. F.

doi:10.1016/s0375-6742(00)00128-x

Cited by 46 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…6. The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio shows a range of values that vary between 0.070756 and 0.71129 (Table 3), which is within the range of values reported by Boschetti et al (2007) and Carmona et al (2000) for this study area. The least radiogenic waters are represented by the San Pedro River located in the northwestern part of the study area, while the most radiogenic waters are those in the Quebrada de Zapar (N13) and sample E06, located in the northeastern and eastern part of the study area.…”

supporting

confidence: 83%

Sources of surface water for the Soncor ecosystem, Salar de Atacama basin, northern Chile

Ortiz

Aravena

Briones

et al. 2014

Hydrological Sciences Journal

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The Salar de Atacama is located in the most arid desert in the world. Despite its extreme conditions, it has many ecosystems of high ecological value. The Soncor ecosystem, a sequence of lagoons, is the most important environment of the region as it acts as the centre for the breeding of the Andean Flamingo. This salt flat also contains significant mining deposits and is an important water source for the region. Freshwater and brine-enriched in lithium and potassium-are being pumped from the aquifers near to the Soncor ecosystem, which has so far not been greatly affected by this groundwater extraction. However, there is a potential risk that future anthropogenic effects may disturb this fragile environment. The objective of this study is to determine the origin of the water sources of the Soncor ecosystem so as to adequately manage its water resources. Three hypotheses previously proposed in the technical literature were investigated in order to determine proactive actions to protect this fragile ecosystem. The study utilized classic hydrogeological techniques, such as the construction of stratigraphic profiles, piezometric maps and stream gauging, combined with less-common isotopic techniques, such as the Il existe cependant un risque que cet environnement fragile ne soit affecté par les activités anthropiques futures. La présente étude a pour objectif de déterminer l'origine des eaux de l'écosystème du Soncor afin de gérer convenablement ses ressources en eau. Les recherches ont porté sur trois hypothèses proposées dans la littérature technique, afin de proposer des actions efficaces pour la protection du système. L'étude a mis en oeuvre des méthodes hydrogéologiques classiques comme la construction de profils stratigraphiques, la cartographie de la piézométrie et le jaugeage des cours d'eau, et des techniques isotopiques plus innovantes comme l'étude du rapport 87 Sr/ 86 Sr. Les résultats confirment l'hypothèse selon laquelle l'origine des eaux du Soncor est associée à des apports d'eau souterraine provenant de la partie orientale du salar, dans la zone Nord du bassin.

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supporting

confidence: 83%

Sources of surface water for the Soncor ecosystem, Salar de Atacama basin, northern Chile

Ortiz

Aravena

Briones

et al. 2014

Hydrological Sciences Journal

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“…Inflow waters to Salar de Atacama are predominantly from drainage systems on the north, east, and southeast margins that derive solutes from the weathering of Cenozoic volcanic rocks, including Pliocene-Quaternary ignimbrites, of the Andean volcanic arc (Table 4;Fig. 7;Bevacqua 1995;Alonso and Risacher 1996;Carmona et al 2000;Risacher et al 2003;Boschetti et al 2007). Surface stream inflow, i.e., Rio San Pedro, is less significant than the much larger volume of groundwater recharge that enters the basin .…”

Section: Death Valley and The Mid Crustal Magma Chambermentioning

confidence: 99%

Closed Basin Brine Evolution and the Influence of Ca–Cl Inflow Waters: Death Valley and Bristol Dry Lake California, Qaidam Basin, China, and Salar de Atacama, Chile

2008

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“…This large study was later synthesized in a review paper to which we will refer extensively in this article (Risacher et al 2003). The origin of solutes in Chilean salars has been studied by Alpers and Whittemore (1990); Alonso and Risacher (1996), Spiro and Chong (1996); Garcés (2000a); Garcés (2000b); Carmona et al (2000), and Boschetti et al (2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Origin of Salts and Brine Evolution of Bolivian and Chilean Salars

2008

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Central Andes in Bolivia and northern Chile contain numerous internal drainage basins occupied by saline lakes and salt crusts (salars). Salts in inflow waters stem from two origins: alteration of volcanic rocks, which produces dilute waters, and brine recycling, which leads to brackish waters. Chilean alteration waters are three times more concentrated in average than Bolivian waters, which is related to a higher sulfur content in Chilean volcanoes. Brackish inflows stem from brines which leak out from present salars and mix with dilute groundwater. Most of the incoming salts are recycled salts. The cycling process is likely to have begun when ancient salars were buried by volcanic eruptions. Three major brine groups are found in Andean salars: alkaline, sulfate-rich, and calciumrich brines. Evaporation modeling of inflows shows good agreement between predicted and observed brines in Chile. Alkaline salars are completely lacking in Chile, which is accounted for by higher sulfate and lower alkalinity of inflow waters, in turn related to the suspected higher sulfur content in Chilean volcanic rocks. Six Bolivian salars are alkaline, a lower number than that predicted by evaporative modeling. Deposition on the drainage basin of eolian sulfur eroded from native deposits shifts the initial alkaline evolution to sulfate brines. The occurrence of calcium-rich brines in Andean salars is not compatible with volcanic drainage basins, which can only produce alkaline or sulfate-rich weathering waters. The discrepancy is likely due to recycled calcic brines from ancient salars in sedimentary basins, now buried below volcanic formations. Calcic salars are not in equilibrium with their volcanic environment and may slowly change with time to sulfate-rich salars.

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Solute inputs in the Salar de Atacama (N. Chile)

Cited by 46 publications

References 2 publications

Sources of surface water for the Soncor ecosystem, Salar de Atacama basin, northern Chile

Sources of surface water for the Soncor ecosystem, Salar de Atacama basin, northern Chile

Closed Basin Brine Evolution and the Influence of Ca–Cl Inflow Waters: Death Valley and Bristol Dry Lake California, Qaidam Basin, China, and Salar de Atacama, Chile

Origin of Salts and Brine Evolution of Bolivian and Chilean Salars

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