With the first few days of 2024 under our belt, we’ve taken a moment to reflect on everything that Utah FORGE accomplished during the past year. There’s a lot to be proud of.
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 – Drill Core
Drill Core Intact cylindrical shaped sample of rock obtained during drilling with a special coring bit. Although commonly narrow in diameter (e.g., 1-4" or 25-100 mm), it preserves a geological record that makes it possible to interpret the sequence of mineral...
Word of the Week – Drill Cuttings
Drill Cuttings Small chips of rocks (e.g., <1/8 inch or <3 mm) obtained during drilling with a rotary bit that are continuously returned to the surface by the circulation of mud. Drill cuttings are the main source of geological and stratigraphic interpretation...
Word of the Week – Enhanced Geothermal System
Enhanced Geothermal System Unconventional geothermal resources that contain heat similar to conventional hydrothermal resources but lack the necessary groundwater and/or rock characteristics (e.g., permeability) to enable energy extraction without stimulation.