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Analysis of a Potential Hidden Geothermal System in the Granite Mountain Area of Buena Vista Valley, Pershing County, Nevada
Ian ADAMS, James E. FAULDS, Jules GRELLIER, Bastien HERMANT
[University of Nevada, Reno, USA]
The Great Basin region of the Basin and Range province, which encompasses nearly all of Nevada and parts of Idaho, Oregon, Utah, and California, is a tectonically active region undergoing regional extension and transtension. Active faulting in the Great Basin is a key factor in creating favorable conditions for geothermal activity. The geothermal potential within the region comes with challenges of characterizing the systems, because most of the geothermal resources are blind or hidden with no surface manifestations such as hot springs. This study assesses a potential hidden geothermal system within western Nevada through integration of geological and geophysical data. The study is focused on the Granite Mountain area of Buena Vista Valley in Pershing County, Nevada, where favorable structural settings and other geothermal indicators indicate relatively high potential for hosting a geothermal system. The structural framework of the Granite Mountain-Buena Vista Valley area consists primarily of a system of west-dipping normal faults along the eastern margin of Buena Vista Valley, which includes fault intersections and step-overs (i.e., relay ramps). These structural settings can generate zones of enhanced permeability that may provide favorable pathways for geothermal fluids. Additionally, intersecting gravity gradients and low resistivity anomalies further suggest subsurface structural and hydrothermal features conducive to or indicative of geothermal activity. The combination of these structural and geophysical characteristics suggests that the area may host a hidden geothermal system. By combining multiple datasets, this study aims to identify key structural and geophysical characteristics that define prospective hidden geothermal systems in the Great Basin region. Results from this project will contribute to identifying areas for temperature gradient drilling in the Granite Mountain area and potentially help guide future exploration in the region.
Topic: Geology