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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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