Partitioning of rare earths and some major elements in the Kizildere geothermal field, Turkey

Rare earth elements and yttrium (REY), Na super(+), K super(+), Cl super(-), and Ca super(2+) in water, steam, mineral scale and rock samples from the Kizildere geothermal field, Turkey, are determined. Sampling of liquids and vapor in producing geothermal fields provides some insight into the partitioning behaviour of elements during vapor-liquid, liquid-scale and parent fluid-reservoir rock fractionation. Changes in the concentration of non-conservative elements such as, Ca, Sr, Mg and REY depend on both variations in leachability from source-rock minerals and on non-equilibrium in scale deposition. The unexpectedly high REY concentrations in the vapor phase may indicate that other highly charged species could also easily become volatile under natural conditions.