{"title":"Elemental Variations and Mechanisms of Brines in the Context of Large-Scale Exploitation: A Case Study of Xitaijnar Salt Lake, Qaidam Basin","authors":"Zhanjie Qin, Qingkuan Li, Wenxia Li, Qishun Fan, Tianyuan Chen, Chan Wu, Jianping Wang, Fashou Shan","doi":"10.1007/s10498-023-09419-y","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>There is limited research on the variations in brine element changes and the factors that influence them during large-scale exploitation. The Xitaijnar Salt Lake in the Qaidam Basin is a large brine lithium deposit. In this study, we investigated the variations in chemical composition and the factors that influence intercrystalline brine at different time periods. Hydrochemistry, mineralogy, and hydrogeochemical simulation methods were employed to understand the brine evolution. Our results indicate that after nearly 20 years of exploitation, the intercrystalline brine still belongs to the magnesium sulfate subtype, with only slight variations in salinity. The concentrations of Na, K, and SO<sub>4</sub> showed a slight increase, while the content of Mg and Cl decreased slightly. The concentrations of B and Li exhibited minor fluctuations. The provenance, water level, and hydraulic connection had minimal influence on the chemical composition of the intercrystalline brine. By contrast, the dynamic dissolution and precipitation of sulfate minerals and halite, as well as drastic changes in hydrological conditions (such as floods), were identified as the main factors affecting the chemical composition of brine. With the large-scale extraction of intercrystalline brine, the content of elements in the salt lake showed a decreasing trend. This can be attributed to the fact that intercrystalline brine is formed through long-term evaporation and concentration. Therefore, during the exploitation process, it is crucial to monitor the hydrochemical variations of intercrystalline brine and understand the controlling factors. The results of this study may prove useful for the sustainable development and utilization of salt lake resources worldwide.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8102,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Geochemistry","volume":"30 3","pages":"121 - 141"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7000,"publicationDate":"2023-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10498-023-09419-y.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Aquatic Geochemistry","FirstCategoryId":"89","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10498-023-09419-y","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"GEOCHEMISTRY & GEOPHYSICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
There is limited research on the variations in brine element changes and the factors that influence them during large-scale exploitation. The Xitaijnar Salt Lake in the Qaidam Basin is a large brine lithium deposit. In this study, we investigated the variations in chemical composition and the factors that influence intercrystalline brine at different time periods. Hydrochemistry, mineralogy, and hydrogeochemical simulation methods were employed to understand the brine evolution. Our results indicate that after nearly 20 years of exploitation, the intercrystalline brine still belongs to the magnesium sulfate subtype, with only slight variations in salinity. The concentrations of Na, K, and SO4 showed a slight increase, while the content of Mg and Cl decreased slightly. The concentrations of B and Li exhibited minor fluctuations. The provenance, water level, and hydraulic connection had minimal influence on the chemical composition of the intercrystalline brine. By contrast, the dynamic dissolution and precipitation of sulfate minerals and halite, as well as drastic changes in hydrological conditions (such as floods), were identified as the main factors affecting the chemical composition of brine. With the large-scale extraction of intercrystalline brine, the content of elements in the salt lake showed a decreasing trend. This can be attributed to the fact that intercrystalline brine is formed through long-term evaporation and concentration. Therefore, during the exploitation process, it is crucial to monitor the hydrochemical variations of intercrystalline brine and understand the controlling factors. The results of this study may prove useful for the sustainable development and utilization of salt lake resources worldwide.
期刊介绍:
We publish original studies relating to the geochemistry of natural waters and their interactions with rocks and minerals under near Earth-surface conditions. Coverage includes theoretical, experimental, and modeling papers dealing with this subject area, as well as papers presenting observations of natural systems that stress major processes. The journal also presents `letter''-type papers for rapid publication and a limited number of review-type papers on topics of particularly broad interest or current major controversy.