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Geochemistry of arsenic (As) in spring and stream waters from San Antonio de los Cobres, NW Argentina

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

K. A. Hudson-Edwards*
Affiliation:
Research School of Earth Sciences at UCL-Birkbeck, University of London, Malet St., London WC1E 7HX, UK
J. Archer
Affiliation:
Research School of Earth Sciences at UCL-Birkbeck, University of London, Malet St., London WC1E 7HX, UK

Abstract

Spring and stream waters from the San Antonio de los Cobres area in NW Argentina have high concentrations of arsenic (As) (151—9490 μg l-1), of which AsV varies widely (6—~100% of total As). Arsenic concentrations correlate with Na, K, Cl, HCO3, B and Li, which are high in the spring waters and are typical of geothermal areas world-wide. Springs near San Antonio supply large amounts of As to the Rio San Antonio de los Cobres (up to 1180 μg l-1), but these concentrations decline to 400 μg l-1 within 10 km of the spring inputs, due to dilution and mineral precipitation.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2008

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