The Origin of the Brines of the Imperial Valley, California
- Key words
- Exploration; USA; California; Imperial; Geochemistry; Brine; Chlorides
- Location
- California; Imperial Valley
- Conference
- Geothermal Resources Council Transactions
- Year
- 1983
- Session
- Exploration; Geochemical surveys
- Language
- English
Abstract
The hypersaline brines of the Imperial Valley of California show evidence of having originated from dissolution of halite deposited in the salina of the Salton Sink from ancestral Lake Cahuilla and its precursors. This hypersaline brine has undergone rock interaction producing loss of sodium to the rocks (sodium depletion) with transfer of potassium, calcium, and numerous heavy metals to the brine. The blending of the brines with overlying fossil lake waters and desert runoff gives rise to variations in the hypersaline brines which are also effected by thermal metamorphism, including sulfate reduction, magnesium fixation, and organic matter oxidation.
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