Geochemistry and Paleolimnology of the Trona Deposits and Associated Authigenic Minerals of the Green River Formation of Wyoming
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Geochemistry and Paleolimnology of the Trona Deposits and Associated Authigenic Minerals of the Green River Formation of Wyoming Geochemistry and Paleolimnology of the Trona Deposits and Associated Authigenic Minerals of the Green River Formation of Wyoming By W. H. BRADLEY and H. P. EUGSTER THE GREEN RIVER AND ASSOCIATED TERTIARY FORMATIONS GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 496-B Physical chemistry that determined formation of thick and extensive trona and trona-halite beds and accompanying authigenic minerals in the paleolimnologic and climatic setting is discussed UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1969 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WALTER J. HICKEL, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY William T. Pecora, Director For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 CONTENTS Page Page Abstract ______ --- ______ ------______________________ Bl Geochemistry of the trona deposits-Continued Introduction_______________________________________ 4 Physical chemistry of trona deposition-Continued Geologic setting_ _ _ _ _ _ __ __ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ __ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ 4 Mineral equilibria in the system N aH C03- Stratigraphy and composition of the Wilkins Peak Mem- N a2C03- H20-Continued ber of the Green River Formation__________________ 7 Possible crystallization conditions-Con. Saline facies of Wilkins Peak Member_____________ 7 Crystallization by isothermal addition Authigenic minerals ____ --------_____________ 9 of C02--------------------------- B43 Chemical composition of the sedimentary~rocks_ 12 Crystallization by decrease of tempera- The trona beds_____________________________ 16 ture_____________________________ 43 Volume and tonnage of bedded trona______ 20 Crystallization path of brines in equilib- Environmental conditions responsible for the deposition of rium with P co of the atmosphere______ 43 the salines_ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ __ __ __ __ _ _ _ _ __ _ 2 0 2 Salinity and composition of Gosiute Lake Climatic change________________________________ 21 at salting leveL __ - __ __ __ __ _ _ __ __ __ _ _ _ 46 Paleolimnology of trona deposition________________ 22 Mineral equilibria in the system N aHC03- Regimen of lake-level changes____________________ 25 N 3.2C03- N aCl-H20 and the effect of N aCl Source of components in saline beds___________________ 26 on the deposition of trona__________________ 46 Concentration owing to decrease of Gosiute Lake Possible crystallization conditions___ _ _ __ _ _ 47 volume alone_________________________________ 26 Crystallization by isothermal evapora- Calculated composition of water entering Gosiute tion with or without gain or loss of Lake________________________________________ 27 C0 _______________ --- _ __ __ __ __ _ _ 49 2 Calculated geochemical balances for sodium, mag- Crystallization by addition of C02, no nesium, sulfur, and chlorine____________________ 28 evaporation _____ ---------________ 51 Possible role of thermal springs as sources of Geochemistry of authigenic minerals_---_-_-__________ 59 sodium and other constituents_____________ 29 Authigenic minerals ___________ -----------------_ 59 Possible role of volcanic ash as sources of sodium Shon~e----------------------------------- 59 and other constituents_____________________ 30 Nonhupite________________________ :_____ __ _ 60 Residual brine and its fate_______________________ 30 Loughlinite_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ __ __ _ _ __ __ _ _ _ 60 The phosphate problem__________________________ 31 Analcite___________________________________ 62 Geochemistry of the trona deposits__ _ _ _ _ __ __ _ _ _ __ __ _ _ 35 Pyrite_____________________________________ 62 Rate of deposition______________________________ 35 Sources of constituents for authigenic minerals_____ 62 Mechanism for dispersion of authigenic mineral Adequacy of sodium supply______________________ 35 grains--------------------------------------- 63 Physical chemistry of trona deposition_____________ 36 Diagenesis of the lake beds_______________________ 64 Mineral equilibria in the system N aHCOs- Occluded brines ____ -------- __ -------------- 64 N3.2C03-H20 ____ ----- _ _ _ _ ___ __ __ ___ __ __ __ 36 Role of compaction ____ ------- ____ ------ 65 Possible crystallization conditions_________ 40 Salt filtering effect of sediment pores______ 65 Crystallization by isothermal evapora- References----------------------------------------- 65 tion_____________________________ 42 Index--------------------------------------------- 69 ILLUSTRATIONS PLATE 1. Generalized geologic map showing distribution of the members of the Green River Formation in southwestern Wyoming and adjacent parts of Colorado and lJtah ________________________________________________________________ lnpocket 2. N onh-south section of a part of the Wilkins Peak Member showing the extent and stratigraphic relations of the trona and trona-halite beds in the Green River Ba&n----------------------------------------------------------------In pocket .m IV CONTENTS Pap FIGURE 1. lndexrnaP------------------------------------------------------------------ B5 2. Schematic section showing the relation of the Green River Formation to adjacent for- mations----------------------------------------------------------------- 5 3. Map of parts of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Idaho showing the hydrographic basin and maximum extent of Gosiute Lake at two stages and area underlain by beds of trona and halite ______________________________________ - _- _- _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ 6 4. Isopach map of the Wilkins Peak Member of the Green River Formation in a part of the Green River Basin, Wyo ___________________ ------- ___ __ _____ _ ___ __ __ __ 8 5. Photograph showing shortite crystal molds concentrated along bedding planes________ 9 6. Photograph showing authigenic crystals of trona in dolomitic rnarlstone of the Wilkins Peak Member of the Green River Formation________________________________ 10 7. Photomicrograph showing varves in oil shale deformed by shortite crystals after corn- paction_________________________________________________________________ 12 8. Photomicrograph showing a bundle of iron sulfide crystals that formed after sediment compaction-------------------------------------------------------------- 13 9. Photograph of bedded trona showing interlocking crystals________________________ 16 1Q-12. Generalized isopach maps: 10. Lowest thick trona-halite bed 1_--------------------------------------- 17 11. 1Tona-halitebed 2---------------------------------------------------- 18 12. 1Tona bed 17-------------------------------------------------------- 19 13. Graph showing the dependence of net evaporation from a closed lake on the annual precipitation and temperature ________________ ---------------------------- 22 14. Columnar section of a thick trona-halite bed showing the thickness and distribution of partings -------------------------------------------------------------- 7 - 24 15. Graph showing inverse relation between P20 5 and dolomite, CaO requirement of francolite, and excess CaO in phosphorite zones______________________________ 32 16. Graph showing the relation of P20 5 to U in phosphorite zones______________________ 35 17-31. Diagrams: 17. The compositions of solid phases known in the system NaHCOa-Na2COa-H20 at 1 atmosphere pressure and the compositions of the saturated solutions at 25° c____________________________________________________________ 37 18. Schematic isothermal-isobaric section through the system NaHCOa-Na2COa- H20 illustrating three evaporation paths----------------------------- 38 19. Compositions of saturated solutions of the system NaHCOa-Na2COa-H20 in terms of temperature and weight-percent sodium in solution_- ___ ------- 39 20. Isothermal sections constructed from figure 19 ______________ - _- ___ ------- 41 21. Schematic isobaric isotherms and precipitation paths______________________ 42 22. C02 content of a gas phase equilibrated with saturated solutions of the system NaHCOs-N~COa-H 20 __ ----- __ ------_--- __ ----------------------- 44 23. Bicarbonate quotients of solutions saturated with respect to nahcolite + trona as a function of temperature ________ ----------______ --------------- 44 24. C02 content of a gas and the bicarbonate quotient of a solution in equilibrium with it, saturated with respect to nahcolite+ trona___________________ 45 25. Six isothermal sections through the system NaHCOa-Na2COa-NaCl-H20 at 1 atmosphere and six different temperatures __________ --------------- 48 26. Isothermal section for 30° C for the system NaHC0 3-N~COa-NaCl-H20 in terms of weight percent of sodium and chlorine in saturated brines_---- 50 27. Trona precipitation paths added to the diagram of figure 26_______________ 52 28. Bicarbonate quotients of solutions in equilibrium with nahcolite + trona plotted as a function of chloride content and temperature_---_-------- 53 29. C02 content of a gas phase equilibrated with trona + nahcolite + halite + solution and.trona + nahcolite+ solution--------------------------- 53 30. Sodium content plotted against bicarbonate quotients of saturated solutions containing 0, 5, and 10 percent chloride_____________________________ 54 31. Data from Lake Magadi, Africa, plotted on figure 26 ________________ ----- 58 32. Photograph of polished surface of a core billet of low-grade oil shale showing nearly uniform dispersion of shortite crystals-------------------------------------- 59 33. Diagram showing the compositions of the solid phases in the