Geochemistry of rees in the natural waters and the secondary phases from thermal fields of Kamchatka

Abstract

A study of the distribution of rare-earth elements in surface and underground waters, waterbearing rocks, as well as secondary mineral formed by the thermal waters of the Paratunka and Viluchinsky hydrothermal systems of Kamchatka was carried out. It was found that the REE content, their distribution and fractionation differ depending on the geochemical type of water, as well as the pH–Eh of the aquifer. All waters are characterized by the predominance of the dissolved form of the REE water transfer, which exceeds the transfer of REE with colloids by a factor of a thousand. It has been shown that in the discharge areas of the studied thermal waters carbonates, sulfates and silicates, including calcite, gypsum, and amorphous opal, are widespread. The intensity of the REE redistribution process in the rock-water-secondary deposits system is very weak in waters where REEs are associated with sulfates. At the same time, REEs bound in water with carbonate complexes most actively accumulate in newly formed mineral phases.