The Hydrothermal Alteration of the Cordón de Inacaliri Volcanic Complex in the Framework of the Hidden Geothermal Systems within the Pabelloncito Graben (Northern Chile)

Detailed mineralogical analyses in areas with surface hydrothermal alteration zones associated with recent volcanism (<1 Ma) in the Central Andean Volcanic Zone could provide key information to unravel the presence of hidden geothermal systems. In the Cordón de Inacaliri Volcanic Complex, a geoth...

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Autores principales:	Santiago Nicolás Maza, Gilda Collo, Diego Morata, Carolina Cuña-Rodriguez, Marco Taussi, Alberto Renzulli
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	MDPI AG 2021
Materias:	clay minerals surface hydrothermal alteration steam heated active geothermal system diatoms Cerro Pabellón Mineralogy QE351-399.2
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/1bb5d7dbb9b74339941c9f304083f4fd
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:1bb5d7dbb9b74339941c9f304083f4fd2021-11-25T18:26:48ZThe Hydrothermal Alteration of the Cordón de Inacaliri Volcanic Complex in the Framework of the Hidden Geothermal Systems within the Pabelloncito Graben (Northern Chile)10.3390/min111112792075-163Xhttps://doaj.org/article/1bb5d7dbb9b74339941c9f304083f4fd2021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/11/11/1279https://doaj.org/toc/2075-163XDetailed mineralogical analyses in areas with surface hydrothermal alteration zones associated with recent volcanism (<1 Ma) in the Central Andean Volcanic Zone could provide key information to unravel the presence of hidden geothermal systems. In the Cordón de Inacaliri Volcanic Complex, a geothermal field with an estimated potential of ~1.08 MWe·km<sup>−</sup><sup>2</sup> has been recently discovered. In this work, we focus on the hydrothermal alteration zones and discharge products of this area, with the aim to reconstruct the geological processes responsible for the space-time evolution leading to the geothermal records. We identified (1) discharge products associated with acid fluids that could be related to: (i) acid-sulfate alteration with alunite + kaolinite + opal CT + anatase, indicating the presence of a steam-heated blanket with massive fine-grained silica (opal-CT), likely accumulated in mud pots where the intersection of the paleowater table with the surface occurred; (ii) argillic alteration with kaolinite + hematite + halloysite + smectite + I/S + illite in the surrounding of the acid-sulfate alteration; and (2) discharge products associated with neutral-alkaline fluids such as: (i) discontinuous pinnacle-like silica and silica deposits with laterally developed coarse stratification which, together with remaining microorganisms, emphasize a sinter deposit associated with alkaline/freshwater/brackish alkaline-chlorine water bodies and laterally associated with (ii) calcite + aragonite deriving from bicarbonate waters. The scarce presence of relics of sinter deposits, with high degree crystallinity phases and diatom remnants, in addition to alunite + kaolinite + opal CT + anatase assemblages, is consistent with a superimposition of a steam-heated environment to a previous sinter deposit. These characters are also a distinguishing feature of paleosurface deposits associated with the geothermal system of the Cordón de Inacaliri Volcanic Complex. The presence of diatoms in heated freshwater bodies at 5100 m a.s.l. in the Atacama Desert environment could be related with the last documented deglaciation in the area (~20–10 ka), an important factor in the recharge of the hidden geothermal systems of the Pabelloncito graben.Santiago Nicolás MazaGilda ColloDiego MorataCarolina Cuña-RodriguezMarco TaussiAlberto RenzulliMDPI AGarticleclay mineralssurface hydrothermal alterationsteam heatedactive geothermal systemdiatomsCerro PabellónMineralogyQE351-399.2ENMinerals, Vol 11, Iss 1279, p 1279 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	clay minerals surface hydrothermal alteration steam heated active geothermal system diatoms Cerro Pabellón Mineralogy QE351-399.2
spellingShingle	clay minerals surface hydrothermal alteration steam heated active geothermal system diatoms Cerro Pabellón Mineralogy QE351-399.2 Santiago Nicolás Maza Gilda Collo Diego Morata Carolina Cuña-Rodriguez Marco Taussi Alberto Renzulli The Hydrothermal Alteration of the Cordón de Inacaliri Volcanic Complex in the Framework of the Hidden Geothermal Systems within the Pabelloncito Graben (Northern Chile)
description	Detailed mineralogical analyses in areas with surface hydrothermal alteration zones associated with recent volcanism (<1 Ma) in the Central Andean Volcanic Zone could provide key information to unravel the presence of hidden geothermal systems. In the Cordón de Inacaliri Volcanic Complex, a geothermal field with an estimated potential of ~1.08 MWe·km<sup>−</sup><sup>2</sup> has been recently discovered. In this work, we focus on the hydrothermal alteration zones and discharge products of this area, with the aim to reconstruct the geological processes responsible for the space-time evolution leading to the geothermal records. We identified (1) discharge products associated with acid fluids that could be related to: (i) acid-sulfate alteration with alunite + kaolinite + opal CT + anatase, indicating the presence of a steam-heated blanket with massive fine-grained silica (opal-CT), likely accumulated in mud pots where the intersection of the paleowater table with the surface occurred; (ii) argillic alteration with kaolinite + hematite + halloysite + smectite + I/S + illite in the surrounding of the acid-sulfate alteration; and (2) discharge products associated with neutral-alkaline fluids such as: (i) discontinuous pinnacle-like silica and silica deposits with laterally developed coarse stratification which, together with remaining microorganisms, emphasize a sinter deposit associated with alkaline/freshwater/brackish alkaline-chlorine water bodies and laterally associated with (ii) calcite + aragonite deriving from bicarbonate waters. The scarce presence of relics of sinter deposits, with high degree crystallinity phases and diatom remnants, in addition to alunite + kaolinite + opal CT + anatase assemblages, is consistent with a superimposition of a steam-heated environment to a previous sinter deposit. These characters are also a distinguishing feature of paleosurface deposits associated with the geothermal system of the Cordón de Inacaliri Volcanic Complex. The presence of diatoms in heated freshwater bodies at 5100 m a.s.l. in the Atacama Desert environment could be related with the last documented deglaciation in the area (~20–10 ka), an important factor in the recharge of the hidden geothermal systems of the Pabelloncito graben.
format	article
author	Santiago Nicolás Maza Gilda Collo Diego Morata Carolina Cuña-Rodriguez Marco Taussi Alberto Renzulli
author_facet	Santiago Nicolás Maza Gilda Collo Diego Morata Carolina Cuña-Rodriguez Marco Taussi Alberto Renzulli
author_sort	Santiago Nicolás Maza
title	The Hydrothermal Alteration of the Cordón de Inacaliri Volcanic Complex in the Framework of the Hidden Geothermal Systems within the Pabelloncito Graben (Northern Chile)
title_short	The Hydrothermal Alteration of the Cordón de Inacaliri Volcanic Complex in the Framework of the Hidden Geothermal Systems within the Pabelloncito Graben (Northern Chile)
title_full	The Hydrothermal Alteration of the Cordón de Inacaliri Volcanic Complex in the Framework of the Hidden Geothermal Systems within the Pabelloncito Graben (Northern Chile)
title_fullStr	The Hydrothermal Alteration of the Cordón de Inacaliri Volcanic Complex in the Framework of the Hidden Geothermal Systems within the Pabelloncito Graben (Northern Chile)
title_full_unstemmed	The Hydrothermal Alteration of the Cordón de Inacaliri Volcanic Complex in the Framework of the Hidden Geothermal Systems within the Pabelloncito Graben (Northern Chile)
title_sort	hydrothermal alteration of the cordón de inacaliri volcanic complex in the framework of the hidden geothermal systems within the pabelloncito graben (northern chile)
publisher	MDPI AG
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/1bb5d7dbb9b74339941c9f304083f4fd
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The Hydrothermal Alteration of the Cordón de Inacaliri Volcanic Complex in the Framework of the Hidden Geothermal Systems within the Pabelloncito Graben (Northern Chile)

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