Laserfiche WebLink
The claw correlation between the waters and the meteoric water line indicates minimal <br />exchange of oxygen isotapes between waters and rocks. {tt takes s relatively large cock:water <br />ratio far water-oxygen to exchange with rock-oxygen; this can be accomplished if a cansiderabl< <br />amount of contact occurs between each parcel of water and s Isrge valume of rock, a process tha <br />can be acquired through deep cntstal circulation over a long period of time.} This points to a <br />relatively young age for the waters, although young in this case might be thousands of years as <br />oppased to tens of thousands. Overall, the values azgue for relatively rapid recharge of the <br />groundwater (thousands of years). Neverthaless, there is good evidence that some of the fault <br />waters, notably a few Pram the Southeast Head gate fault and the t3 East Mains fault, have <br />undergone some water:rack exchange prior to discharge in the underground mine. <br />Variable mixtures of local meteoric water and fault water can resdily explain the range of <br />SD and S'aO values in al! of the waters. The aD snd S'8O values of the NW panels sump and the <br />Edw'srds mine portal are identical within analytical uncertainty. One might expect some shift <br />along the meteoric water tine due to local meteoric water variations with season, but the virtually <br />identical nature of these two samples in context of the physical circumstances supports the notion <br />that they represent a mixtura containing meteoric water that is not only very local, but slso <br />probably derived from snow ar rainfall that fell in the same season of the year. <br />Insofar as the NW Panels sump water may represent the Edwards Portal seep water, it is <br />clear that meteoric water mixing has occurred within or prior to reaching the sump. And <br />althaugh other constituents require it, no further m'sxing is needed to explain the seep water <br />composition, at least in terms of SD and b180 values. <br />b"C. There is a signiticant shift in a"C values between the fault waters and the seep water. <br />(The value of+24, which was reported for the S-seam sample, is probably a misprint; that value <br />is more likely -24 or perhaps +2.4 or -2.4 900. This could significantly affect other <br />interpretations. Generally, this analysis was disregarded.} Fault waters aze significantly heavier <br />(range = -2.7 to +10.7950} th<'tn the seep water (-t 29 950). Several mechanisms might produce <br />such a shift. <br />Interactions with meteoric water can be called onto explain part of a shift from the heavy <br />S"C fault waters to the light seep waters, because atmospheric C0: has a lighter S"G (about -7 <br />per mil}. However, this obviously cannot account for alt of the shift. Safi gas GO;, evhich is <br />considerably lighter {range = -10 to -30 9bo -• see values fn P. Defines, "The Isotopic Composition <br />of Reduced Organic Carbon" in F. Fritz and J.Ch.Fontes, 1984, Handbook of Environmental <br />Isotope Geochemistry, Elsevier. p. 329-434} could aecaunt for all of [he shift to tighter values, <br />provided enough sail water was encountered. <br />A single "Hsrren member" sample, which has a &''C value of -9.~ no, and which is very <br />close in eomposstian to the seep waters, can also help explain part of the shift to tighter values, <br />but not all of the shift, assuming this value is representative oY the unit as a whole. (Variation in <br />F3-seam S"C values would be useful to knave as would variations in the sump waters.) If the <br />single B-seam value, which was reported at +24 ~~, were actually -24 900, there would very little <br />need to call an high amounts of light carbon From sail gases or ether sources. <br />