Ages and stable-isotope compositions of secondary calcite and opal in drill cores from Tertiary volcanic rocks of the Yucca Mountain area, Nevada
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Abstract
Stable-isotope compositions of fracture-and cavity-filling calcite from the unsaturated zone of three drill cores at Yucca Mountain Tertiary volcanic complex indicate that the water from which the minerals precipitated was probably meteoric in origin. A decrease in 18O in the calcite with depth is interpreted as being due to the increase in temperature in drill holes corresponding to an estimated average geothermal gradient of 34° per kilometer. A few of the calcite samples and all of the opal samples yielded uranium-series ages older than 400,000 yr, although most of the calcite samples yielded ages between 26,000 and 310,000 yr. The stable-isotope and uranium- series dates from precipitated calcite and opal of this reconnaissance study suggest a complex history of fluid movement through the volcanic pile, and episodes of fracture filling predominantly from meteoric water during at least the past 400,000 yr.
Suggested Citation
Szabo, B.J., Kyser, T., 1990, Ages and stable-isotope compositions of secondary calcite and opal in drill cores from Tertiary volcanic rocks of the Yucca Mountain area, Nevada: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 102, no. 12, p. 1714-1719, https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1990)102<1714:AASICO>2.3.CO;2.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Ages and stable-isotope compositions of secondary calcite and opal in drill cores from Tertiary volcanic rocks of the Yucca Mountain area, Nevada |
| Series title | Geological Society of America Bulletin |
| DOI | 10.1130/0016-7606(1990)102<1714:AASICO>2.3.CO;2 |
| Volume | 102 |
| Issue | 12 |
| Year Published | 1990 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Geological Society of America |
| Description | 6 p. |
| First page | 1714 |
| Last page | 1719 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Nevada |
| Other Geospatial | Yucca Mountain area |