Partitioning of rare earths and some major elements in the Kizildere geothermal field, Turkey

Abstract

Rare earth elements and yttrium (REY), Na +, K +, Cl −, and Ca 2+ were determined in water, steam, mineral scale and rock samples from the Kizildere geothermal field, Turkey. The CO 2-rich parent fluid originates from a sequence of mica schists with marble intercalations. The chemistry of the parent fluid varies with location and time. The average REY composition of the fluids is derived by extrapolation to the lowest Ca concentrations. The apparent vapor–liquid partitioning factors for REY at 145 °C and 5 bar total absolute pressure are about 0.2, whereas for Ca 2+, Na +, K + and Cl − they are <0.05, about 0.0005, 0.0005 and about 0.02, respectively. Apparent scale-liquid distribution coefficients for REY at 145 and 190 °C are about 0.15 and 0.55, whereas at 100 °C they increase from 0.3 (La) to 1.5 (Lu).