MINERAL AND GEOCHEMICAL FEATURES OF YAMKUN SPRING (TRANSBAIKAL REGION)

Abstract

The relevance. Yamkun spring is known as one of the few radioactive springs in Transbaikal region. Its waters were used for the treatment of Kaschin–Beck disease (Urov disease), nowadays the regional center of medical rehabilitation for the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems, including cerebral palsy, and diseases of the skin is working on the basis of this spring. The main aim of the research is to identify mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of Yamkun spring components. Objects: lake and stream water, travertines, ferruginous sediments in the stream bed, salt sediments on the tube of soak well, vegetation (lichens, mosses, pine straw, poplar leaves). Methods: inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometry, instrumental neutron activation analysis, X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy. Results. Water of Yamkun spring is bicarbonate, calcium-magnesium, radioactive of radon nature. It is significantly enriched in Mn, Fe, Be, As, Zr, Cs, Hg, Tl, Li, Co and Ba relative to water of Lake Baikal. Water enrichment with rare alkaline and alkaline-earth elements (Li, Be, Cs), as well as Hg, Tl, As and Zr suggests that their source is rare-metal granitoids. During water discharge we observed modern mineral formation on the surface of water baths as «Yamkun foam» (aragonite), tubes of soak well (nesquehonite) and in the stream (ferruginous sediments). Ferruginous sediments and travertines are represented mainly with magnesian calcite. In the ferruginous sediments we identified in large quantities Fe and Mn compounds, probably hydroxides. The hydroxides of Mn also include Ba, K, Cl compounds, Fe hydroxides – As, P, Si, Al. Rare microinclusions in the travertines are represented with intermetallic phases of Cu and Sn, La-Ce carbonate and As sulphide (loellingite?). The inheritance of composition of modern ferruginous sediments and travertines is established. The forming travertines are enriched with the same elements as the water in the spring.

Keywords

• yamkun
• mineral waters
• travertines
• ferruginous sediments
• mineral composition
• chemical composition