The Sudetic Geothermal Region of Poland - New Findings and Further Prospects

Abstract

Natural springs of thermal waters are known in the Polish part of the Sudetes Mts at Cieplice and L?dek. Water temperatures in these springs amount to 44 oC and 29 oC respectively and bathing is the traditional water usage. Drilling performed during the last three decades revealed that considerable amounts of thermal waters occur in tectonically disturbed zones of Sudetic metamorphic rocks and granitoids. At L?dek the temperature of water spontaneously flowing out from the depth of 700 m reached 45 oC. At Cieplice the surface temperature of the outflow from 2000 m amounted to 87 oC. The measured bottom temperature exceeded 96 oC. As the circulation system was not reached, temperatures exceeding 100 oC may be expected at greater depths. This has been confirmed by chemical geothermometry. The existence of thermal waters may by also expected in numerous areas where carbonated waters occur. CO2 connected with Late Tertiary and Early Quaternary basic magmatism may be an indicator of regional rock heating at relatively shallow depths. Its expansion causes the cooling of waters circulating near the surface, but deeper horizons may be the reservoir of thermal waters. A program of exploratory drilling down to 1500-2000 m has been established for Polanica, Duszniki, Kudowa (within or in the immediate surroundings of the Intra-Sudetic Trough) and for åwieradÛw-Czerniawa (the Karkonosze-Izera Block). In case of success the region will get new resources of clean, cheap energy. Another potential area is the Fore-Sudetic Block, where thermal carbonated water was discovered in the vicinity of a basalt outcrops cluster and where Tertiary hydrothermal processes have been documented.