• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.15-32
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• 2008

The hydrochemical and isotopic (stable isotopes and noble gas isotopes) analyses for hot spring waters, cold groundwaters and surface water samples from the Seokmodo hot spring area of the Ganghwa province were carried out to characterize the hydrogeochemical characteristics of thermal waters and to interpret the source of thermal water and noble gases and the geochemical evolution of hot spring waters in the Seokmodo geothermal system. The hot spring waters and groundwaters show a weakly acidic condition with the pH values ranging from 6.42 to 6.77 and 6.01 to 7.71 respectively. The outflow temperature of the Seokmodo hot spring waters ranges from $43.3^{\circ}C\;to\;68.6^{\circ}C$. Relatively high values of the electrical conductivities which fall between 60,200 and $84,300{\mu}S/cm$ indicate that the hot spring waters were mixed with seawater in the subsurface geothermal system. The chemical compositions of the Seokmodo hot spring waters are characterized by Na-Ca-Cl water type. On the other hand, cold groundwaters and surface waters can be grouped into three types such as the Na(Ca)-$HCO_3$, Na(Ca)-$SO_4$ and Ca-$HCO_3$ types. The ${\delta}^{18}O\;and\;{\delta}D$ values of hot spring waters vary from -4.41 to -4.47%o and -32.0 to -33.5%o, respectively. Cold groundwaters range from -7.07 to -8.55%o in ${\delta}^{18}O$ and from -50.24 to -59.6%o in ${\delta}D$. The oxygen and hydrogen isotopic data indicate that the hot spring waters were originated from the local meteoric water source. The enrichments of heavy isotopes ($^{18}O\;and\;^2H$) in the Seokmodo hot spring waters imply that the thermal water was derived from the diffusion Bone between fresh and salt waters. The ${\delta}^{34}S$ values ranging from 23.1 to 23.5%o of dissolved sulfate are very close to the value of sea water sulfate of ${\delta}^{34}$S=20.2%o in this area, indicating the origin of sulfate in hot springs from sea water. The $^3H/^4He$ ratio of hot spring waters varies from $1.243{\times}10^{-6}\;to\;1.299{\times}10^{-6}cm^3STP/g$, which suggests that He gas in hot spring waters was partly originated from a mantle source. Argon isotopic ratio $(^{40}Ar/^{36}Ar=298{\times}10^{-6}cm^3STP/g)$ in hot spring waters corresponds to the atmospheric value.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.473-476
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• 2004

In this study, hydrochemical studies of thermal waters in the Bugok and Magumsan areas showing geothermal anomalies were carried, and the applicability of ion seothermometers and multiple mineral equilibrium approach was examined to estimate their potential deep reservoir temperatures. Typical thermal waters of the two areas are clearly grouped into two major types, according to water chemistry: Na-Cl type (group A) and Na-SO4 type (group D). Compared to group A, group B and C waters show some modifications in chemistry. Group E waters show the modified chemistry from group D. Geothermal waters from the two areas showed some different chemical characteristics. The thermal waters of group A and B in Magumsan area are typically neutral to alkaline (pH=6.7 to 8.1) and Cl-rich (up to 446.1 mg/L), while the waters of group D and E in Bugok area are alkaline (pH=7.6 to 10.0) and SO$_4$-rich (up to 188.0 mg/L). The group A (Na-Cl type) and group D (Na-SO$_4$ type) waters correspond to mature or partially immature water, whereas the other types are immature water. The genesis of geothermal waters are considered as follows: group A and B waters were formed by seawater infiltration into reservoir rocks along faults and fracture zones and possibly affected by fossil connate waters in lithologic units through which deep hot waters circulate; on the other hand, group D and E waters were formed by the oxidation of sulfide minerals (mainly pyrite) in surrounding sedimentary rocks and/or hydrothermal veins occurring along restricted fracture channels and were possibly affected by the input and subsequent oxidation of S-bearing gases (e.g. H2S) from deep thermal reservoir (probably, cooling pluton). The application of quartz, Na-K, K-Mg geothermometers to the chemistry of representative group A and D waters yielded a reasonable temperature estimate (99-147$^{\circ}C$ and 90-142$^{\circ}C$) for deep geothermal reservoir. Aqueous liquid-rich fluid inclusions in fracture calcites obtained from drillcores in Bugok area have an average homogenization temperature of 128$^{\circ}C$, which corresponds to the results from ion geothermometers. The multiple mineral equilibrium approach yielded a similar temperature estimate (105-135$^{\circ}C$ and 100-14$0^{\circ}C$). We consider that deep reservoir temperatures of thermal waters in the Magumsan and Bugok areas can be estimated by the chemistry of typical Na-Cl and Na-SO$_4$ type waters and possibly approach 105-135$^{\circ}C$ and 100-14$0^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.32-46
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• 2000

Hydrogeochemical and isotope ($\delta$$^{18}$ O, $\delta$D, $^3$H, $\delta$$^{13}$ C, $\delta$$^{34}$ S, $^{87}$ Sr/$^{86}$ Sr) studies of various kinds of waters (thermal groundwater, deep groundwater, shallow groundwater, and surface water) from the Yusung area were carried out in order to elucidate their geochemical characteristics such as distribution and behaviour of major/minor elements, geochemical evolution, reservoir temperature, and water-rock interaction of the thermal groundwater. Thermal groundwater of the Yusung area is formed by heating at depth during deep circlulation of groundwater and is evolved into Na-HCO$_3$type water by hydrolysis of silicate minerals with calcite precipitation and mixing of shallow groundwater. High NO$_3$contents of many thermal and deep groundwater samples indicate that the thermal or deep groundwaters were mixed with contaminated shallow groundwater and/or surface water. $\delta$$^{18}$ O and $\delta$D are plotted around the global meteoric water line and there are no differences between the various types of water. Tritium contents of shallow groundwater, deep groundwater and thermal groundwater are quite different, but show that the thermal groundwater was mixed with surface water and/or shallow groundwater during uprising to surface after being heated at depths. $\delta$$^{13}$ C values of all water samples are very low (average -16.3$\textperthousand$%o). Such low $\delta$$^{13}$ C values indicate that the source of carbon is organic material and all waters from the Yusung area were affected by $CO_2$ gas originated from near surface environment. $\delta$$^{34}$ S values show mixing properties of thermal groundwater and shallow groundwater. Based on $^{87}$ Sr/$^{86}$ Sr values, Ca is thought to be originated from the dissolution of plagioclase. Reservoir temperature at depth is estimated to be 100~1$25^{\circ}C$ by calculation of equilibrium method of multiphase system. Therefore, the thermal groundwaters from the Yusung area were formed by heating at depths and evolved by water-rock interaction and mixing with shallow groundwater.