OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS IN THE TERRESTRIAL SALINE DEPOSITS OF SALINE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA,

Abstract

Saline Valley is a deep depression in the Basin and Range Province and contains sodium chloridesodium sulfate deposits of Pleistocene and more recent origin. The distribution of major and minor constituents in the salts, brines, muds, ground waters, and springs of the valley were investigated. Several centers of evaporation were found on the playa that contained different assemblages of major and minor constituents. Anomalous concentrations of various elements were found in the salines, some of which were traceable to source areas. Some were found to be controlled largely by clay minerals. The alkaline earths are quantitatively precipitated, from ground waters containing an excess of carbonate over alkaline earths, as carbonates along the playa margin leaving some substances to concentrate in the centers of evaporation. Many of the trace elements in the brines were found to be related to or controlled by the ratio of alkaline earths to carbonate or bicarbonate in the incoming ground water. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1963
Accession Number
AD0428224

Entities

People

  • Oreste W. Lombardi

Organizations

  • Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • California
  • Carbonates
  • Chemical Compounds
  • Chemical Elements
  • Depression
  • Evaporation
  • Groundwater
  • Observation

Fields of Study

  • Geology

Readers

  • Aerosol Science/Aerosol Physics
  • Electrochemical Engineering/ Fuel Cell Technologies
  • Geotechnical Engineering.