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Science 26 March 1993:
Vol. 259. no. 5103, pp. 1877 - 1882
DOI: 10.1126/science.259.5103.1877
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Articles

Regional Ground-Water Mixing and the Origin of Saline Fluids: Midcontinent, United States

MaryLynn Musgrove 1 and Jay L. Banner 1

1 Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712

Ground waters in three adjacent regional flow systems in the midcontinent exhibit extreme chemical and isotopic variations that delineate large-scale fluid flow and mixing processes and two distinct mechanisms for the generation of saline fluids. Systematic spatial variations of major ion concentrations, H, O, and Sr isotopic compositions, and ground-water migration pathways indicate that each flow system contains water of markedly different origin. Mixing of the three separate ground waters exerts a fundamental control on ground-water composition. The three ground waters are: (i) dilute meteoric water recharged in southern Missouri; (ii) saline Na-Ca-Cl water in southeastern Kansas of far-traveled meteoric origin that acquired its salinity by halite dissolution; and (iii) Na-Ca-Cl brines in north-central Oklahoma that may have originated as Paleozoic seawater.

Submitted on October 2, 1992
Accepted on January 15, 1993


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Replacement Dolomites and Ore Sulfides as Recorders of Multiple Fluids and Fluid Sources in the Southeast Missouri Mississippi Valley-Type District: Halogen-87Sr/86Sr-{delta}18O-{delta}34S Systematics in the Bonneterre Dolomite.
K. L. Shelton, J. M. Gregg, and A. W. Johnson (2009)
Economic Geology 104, 733-748
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Use of relational databases to evaluate regional petroleum accumulation, groundwater flow, and CO2 sequestration in Kansas.
T. R. Carr, D. F. Merriam, and J. D. Bartley (2005)
AAPG Bulletin 89, 1607-1627
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Paleomagnetism of Late Paleozoic Strata and Mineralization in the Tri-State Lead-Zinc Ore District.
D. T. A. Symons, S.J. Pannalal, R. M. Coveney Jr., and D. F. Sangster (2005)
Economic Geology 100, 295-309
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Infiltration of Late Palaeozoic evaporative brines in the Reelfoot rift: a possible salt source for Illinois basin formation waters and MVT mineralizing fluids.
E. L. Rowan and G. de Marsily (2001)
Petroleum Geoscience 7, 269-279
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Groundwater "fast paths" in the Snake River Plain aquifer: Radiogenic isotope ratios as natural groundwater tracers.
T. M. Johnson, R. C. Roback, T. L. McLing, T. D. Bullen, D. J. DePaolo, C. Doughty, R. J. Hunt, R. W. Smith, L. D. Cecil, and M. T. Murrell (2000)
Geology 28, 871-874
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Temporal benchmarks for modeling Phanerozoic flow of basinal brines and hydrocarbons in the southern Midcontinent based on radiometrically dated calcite.
R. M. Coveney Jr., V. M. Ragan, and J. C. Brannon (2000)
Geology 28, 795-798
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Diagenesis of the Lower Permian Krider Member, Southwest Kansas, U.S.A.: Fluid-Inclusion, U-Pb, and Fission-Track Evidence for Reflux Dolomitization During Latest Permian Time.
(2000)
Journal of Sedimentary Research 70, 762-773


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