Trace Elemental Partitioning on Clays Derived From Hydrothermal Muds of the El Tatio Geyser Field, Chile

Recent experimental studies have demonstrated that clay minerals (e.g., kaolinite, illite, and montmorillonite) higher affinities for some trace elements under acidic versus alkaline conditions. This suggests clays might be important vectors in the transport of from sites chemical weathering on land to marine depositional environments. To determine if behave similarly nature, we collected water mud (consisting 38.5%–61.1% kaolinite samples boiling, low-pH, pools venting at El Tatio Geyser Field (ETGF) Chile. Based elemental abundances aqueous/solid phases, observed lower pH = 2.42 3.55) high concentration factors anionic P As) but low cationic Ca, Mn, Sr), while 4.87 5.84) display opposite trend. Acid-base leaching experiments further reveal increasing solution (to reflect downstream transport) led release As surfaces due increasingly negative surface charge, decreasing effects re-acidification) released Li, Co, Sr, Mo, Cd. Our study confirms previous findings demonstrate can assemble a diverse inventory during acid then liberate them back into aqueous phase as increases. Importantly, these observations provide mechanism account regional contamination rivers ETGF.