Mineral Geothermometer

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 – Epidote

Word of the Week – Epidote

Epidote Alumino-silicate hydrothermal mineral having a distinctive yellow-green color that is used a mineral geothermometer, forming at temperatures above ~230°C. The first down hole occurrence of epidote commonly coincides with the top of a high-temperature...

Word of the Week – Felsic

Word of the Week – Felsic

Felsic A geological term referring to igneous rocks that are equivalent to rhyolite and granite in composition.

Word of the Week – Flowback

Word of the Week – Flowback

Flowback Return flow of slickwater that was injected during a stimulation. This is a highly controlled process in which well head pressure is reduced to allow managed fluid recovery. Fluids are commonly sampled and chemically analyzed to determine the effects of...

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