The Kemp Thermal Anomaly: A Newly Discovered Geothermal Resource in Pumpernickel Valley, Nevada

Abstract

Geophysical, geochemical and shallow depth drilling surveys were successfully employed in Pumpernickel Valley, Nevada, to identify a previously unrecognized geothermal resource. The study area, located within the "Battle Mountain Heat Flow High" contains many lower temperature geothermal occurrences as at least one moderato temperature geothermal well. The newly recognized resource is not spatially associated with any known thermal manifestation, and was first identified on the basis of a 2 m depth temperature probe survey. Gravity data suggest the thermal anomaly originates form a fault located 1-2 km east of a prominent northeast trending range bounding fault. The maximum temperature measured was 70°C at a depth of approximately 100 m. The areal distribution of economically recoverable geothermal fluids associated with this discovery is probably limited to one Km2 or less. Direct temperature measurement techniques were judged to be the most useful in this study.