The Energy & Geoscience Institute announces Dr. Kristie McLin as Director of Research and Science and new Principal Investigator of the Utah FORGE project, succeeding Dr. Joseph Moore.
Mineral Geothermometer
A secondary mineral phase whose stability is defined by a lower and sometimes an upper temperature threshold. Common mineral geothermometers comprise clays, zeolites and epidote, with crystal structures that contain a hydroxyl (OH–) or water (H2O) molecule. The temperature ranges of mineral geothermometers are calibrated from investigations of a large number of drilled geothermal resources where mineral zonations and temperature gradients have been determined.
Geothermal Glossary
Word of the Week – Adularia
Adularia Hydrothermal potassium bearing feldspar that forms in volcanic hosted geothermal reservoirs and is a favorable indicator of boiling and permeable conditions.
Word of the Week – Aquifer
Aquifer Porous and permeable rock unit or unconsolidated layer in the subsurface in which all the pores and voids are filled with water. Water supply for wells comes from aquifers.
Word of the Week – Basalt
Basalt Dark grey fine grained volcanic rock composed of plagioclase, pyroxene and olivine, with relatively low silica (45-52 wt %). The composition reflects an upper mantle origin. Basalt is the most common type of volcanic rock on Earth, and it erupts from mid-ocean...