Search

Geochemical and isotopic studies have been undertaken to assess the origin of CO2-rich waters issuing in the northern part of Portugal. These solutions are hot (76°C) to cold (17°C) Na–HCO3 mineral waters. The δ2H and δ18O signatures of the mineral waters reflect the influence of altitude on meteoric recharge. The lack of an 18O-shift indicates there has been no high temperature water–rock interaction at depth, corroborating the results of several chemical geothermometers (reservoir temperature of about 120°C). The low 14C activity (up to 9.9 pmC) measured in some of the cold CO2-rich mineral waters (total dissolved inorganic carbon) is incompatible with the presence of 3H (from 1.7 to 4.1 TU) in those waters, which indicates relatively short subsurface circulation times. The δ13C values of CO2 gas and dissolved inorganic carbon range between −6‰ and −1‰ versus Vienna-Peedee Belemnite, indicating that the total carbon in the recharge waters is being diluted by larger quantities of CO2 (14C-free) introduced from deep-seated (upper mantle) sources, masking the 14C-dating values. The differences in the 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the studied thermal and mineral waters seem to be caused by water–rock interaction with different granitic rocks. Chlorine isotope signatures (−0.4‰ < δ37Cl < +0.4‰ versus standard mean ocean chloride) indicate that Cl in these waters could be derived from mixing of a small amount of igneous Cl from leaching of granitic rocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]