A Case Study of Puga Geothermal System, Ladakh, India

Abstract

Puga, the most promising hydrothermal system of the Indian subcontinent, is a fault bounded system with a well-defined resistivity boundary. The deep reservoir, hosted by granitic rocks, lies underneath the southern ridge and thermal manifestations within the valley are fed by an easterly outflow within the shallow reservoir comprising reconsolidated morainic breccia and granite/gneiss. Although temperatures in excess of 250?C are expected at the deepest levels (- 3 km) of the system, shallow reservoir, readily accessible by drilling, is expected to yield fluids with temperatures of at the most 200?C. The system is indicated to have conditions conducive for epithermal mineralisation. Moreover, it has striking similarities with the Yangbajing system of Tibet, China.