NIE Zhen, BU Lingzhong, ZHENG Mianping and ZHANG Yongsheng
1 Institute of Mineral Resources, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China; 2 R and D Center for Saline Lakes and Epithermal Deposits, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China; 3 Key Laboratory of Saline Lake Resources and Environment, Ministry of Land and Resources, Beijing 100037, ChinaThis paper was supported by project of K0722 from the Institute of Mineral Resources, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences.
Zabuye Salt Lake in Tibet, China is a carbonate-type salt lake, which has some unique characteristics that make it different from other types of salt lakes. The lake is at the latter period in its evolution and contains liquid and solid resources. Its brine is rich in Li, B, K and other useful minor elements that are of great economic value. We studied the concentration behavior of these elements and the crystallization paths of salts during isothermal evaporation of brine at 15°C and 25°C. The crystallization sequence of the primary salts from the brine at 25°C is halite (NaCl) → aphthitalite (3K2SO4·Na2SO4) → zabuyelite (Li2CO3)→ trona (Na2CO3·NaHCO3·2H2O) → thermonatrite (Na2CO3·H2O) → sylvite (KCl), while the sequence is halite (NaCl) → sylvite (KCl) → trona (Na2CO3·NaHCO3·2H2O) → zabuyelite (Li2CO3) → thermonatrite (Na2CO3·H2O) → aphthitalite (3K2SO4·Na2SO4) at 15°C. They are in accordance with the metastable phase diagram of the Na+, K+-Cl?, CO32?, SO42?-H2O quinary system at 25°C, except for Na2CO3·7H2O which is replaced by trona and thermonatrite. In the 25°C experiment, zabuyelite (Li2CO3) was precipitated in the early stage because Li2CO3 is supersaturated in the brine at 25°C, in contrast with that at 15°C, it precipitated in the later stage. Potash was precipitated in the middle and late stages in both experiments, while boron was concentrated in the early and middle stages and precipitated in the late stage.
Zabuye Salt Lake in Tibet, China is a carbonate-type salt lake, which has some unique characteristics that make it different from other types of salt lakes. The lake is at the latter period in its evolution and contains liquid and solid resources. Its brine is rich in Li, B, K and other useful minor elements that are of great economic value. We studied the concentration behavior of these elements and the crystallization paths of salts during isothermal evaporation of brine at 15°C and 25°C. The crystallization sequence of the primary salts from the brine at 25°C is halite (NaCl) → aphthitalite (3K2SO4·Na2SO4) → zabuyelite (Li2CO3)→ trona (Na2CO3·NaHCO3·2H2O) → thermonatrite (Na2CO3·H2O) → sylvite (KCl), while the sequence is halite (NaCl) → sylvite (KCl) → trona (Na2CO3·NaHCO3·2H2O) → zabuyelite (Li2CO3) → thermonatrite (Na2CO3·H2O) → aphthitalite (3K2SO4·Na2SO4) at 15°C. They are in accordance with the metastable phase diagram of the Na+, K+-Cl?, CO32?, SO42?-H2O quinary system at 25°C, except for Na2CO3·7H2O which is replaced by trona and thermonatrite. In the 25°C experiment, zabuyelite (Li2CO3) was precipitated in the early stage because Li2CO3 is supersaturated in the brine at 25°C, in contrast with that at 15°C, it precipitated in the later stage. Potash was precipitated in the middle and late stages in both experiments, while boron was concentrated in the early and middle stages and precipitated in the late stage.
NIE Zhen, BU Lingzhong, ZHENG Mianping and ZHANG Yongsheng.2010. Phase Chemistry Study of the Zabuye Salt Lake Brine: Isothermal Evaporation at 15°C and 25°C[J]. ACTA GEOLOGICA SINICA(English edition),84(6):1533~1538
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