Mercury Emissions from Geothermal Power Plants

Robertson, DE; Crecelius, E. A.; Fruchter, J.S.; Ludwick, J.D.

doi:10.1126/science.860131

Cited by 42 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…This can constitute a pollution problem but can also provide an interesting possibility for prospecting for geothermal energy [Varekamp and Buseck, 1983]. Previous studies with mercury point monitors at the Geysers geothermal plant in California and at the Cerro Prieto plant in Mexico reveiled high concentrations of atomic mercury in the cooling tower exhaust air [Robertson et al, 1977]. In independent measurements at the Geysers geothermal plant a multi-pass atomic absorption spectrometer sensitive only to atomic mercUJY was used Vepsen, 1973].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differential absorption lidar mapping of atmospheric atomic mercury in Italian geothermal fields

Edner¹,

Ragnarson²,

Svanberg³

et al. 1992

J. Geophys. Res.

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Results from extensive lidar measurements on atmospheric atomic mercury in Italian geothermal fields are reported. A mobile differential absorption lidar system operating on the 254 nm mercury resonance line with a measuring range of about 1 km was used in mineralized as well as non-mineralized areas. Measurements were performed at geothermal power stations and in an unexploited field with natural surface geothermi § manifestations.Atomic mercury concentrations ranging from 2-1000 ng/m were mapped. The high Italian ~eothermal mercury concentrations are in strong contrast to the recent hdar finding of the absence of atomic mercury in Icelandic geothermal fields.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differential absorption lidar mapping of atmospheric atomic mercury in Italian geothermal fields

Edner¹,

Ragnarson²,

Svanberg³

et al. 1992

J. Geophys. Res.

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“…Adding acid and allowing the samples to stand for several hours converted some of the non-reducible Hg into reducible form as would be expected from the slow acid dissolution of HgS. Robertson et al (1977) in their studies at The Geysers and Cerro Prieto reported that Hg in the steam condensate did not appear to be Hg° but was present in some colloidal form, possibly as sulphide or ammonia complexes.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hg in geothermal fluids partitions preferentially into the vapour phase on boiling and Weissberg (1975) noted the high steam/water distribution ratio of Hg in fluids at various geothermal fields around the world. Crecelius et al (1976) reported that elemental Hg (Hg°) is the dominant form of Hg in geothermal steam and Robertson et al (1977), in their investigations of the Hg emissions from the geothermal power stations at The Geysers (a dry steam system with no liquid water) and Cerro Prieto, found that Hg in the steam entering the stations was predominantly in the vapour state. The dominant vapour form in the steam was Hg° but in the condensed steam Hg was primarily dissolved and did not appear to be Hg°.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Discharge of mercury from the Wairakei geothermal power station to the Waikato River, New Zealand

Timperley

Hill

1997

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research

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The Wairakei geothermal power station on the west bank of the Waikato River 10 km north of Lake Taupo, New Zealand, discharges a warm mixture of cooling water and geothermal steam condensate to the river. This discharge contains at least two chemical species of mercury (Hg flows out of Lake Aratiatia, the reservoir formed for the Aratiatia hydro-electric power station 3 km down-stream from the Wairakei station. The residence time of the condensate in Lake Aratiatia varies between 1.5 h at high river flow and 12 h during winter when water is accumulated in the lake overnight. The warm condensate initially floats on the surface of the river but only a small proportion of the Hg 0 is lost to the atmosphere. Furthermore, the short residence time of the condensate in the lake probably limits the extent to which other mechanisms can remove Hg 0 from the river water. For these reasons it is concluded that most of the Hg 0 discharged to the river from the Wairakei Received 4 October 1996; accepted 24 March 1997 station remains as Hg 0 in the water flowing out of Lake Aratiatia. Fine-grained bed sediments in Lake Aratiatia are an insignificant sink for Hg because of their very small area and relatively low total Hg concentrations. It seems likely, therefore, that the non-reducible forms of Hg discharged with the condensate also remain in the river water and pass out of the lake. M96075

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“…At the Cerro Prieto field in Mexico, hydrothermal fluids ~4th over 2 wt% C1 drculate below the sur~hce at around 270 °C (see Ellis, 1979). At the wellheads, the fluid is a mixture of 70% brine with 0.05 ppb Hg and 30% steam with 8 ppb Hg (Robertson et al, 1977). At the Geysers field in western California, hot steam with only trace chlorine emanates from vents with 0.3 ppb to 18 ppb Hg (Robertson et al, t977;Weissberg and Rohde, 1978).…”

Section: Mercury Transportmentioning

confidence: 97%

Mercury deposits of western California: an overview

Studemeister

1984

Mineral. Deposita

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Summary. Mercury deposits in western California are near a thrust fault that separates two groups of Mesozoic rocks. The Franciscan Assemblage, a metamorphosed melange with serpentine and graywacke, is structurally overlain by the Great Valley Sequence, a sedimentary series resting on oceanic crust. These Mesozoic rocks are partly covered by volcanic and sedimentary rocks of Cenozoic age. Cinnabar with silica minerals, dolomite, native mercury, and bituminous matter occurs around the fractured margins of serpentine bodies and around hot springs that emanate from the Franciscan Assemblage. Fluid inclusions and hot springs suggest that cinnabar precipitated from CO2-H20 fluids with < 2 wt% chlorine at T < 250 °C. Prograde metamorphism of Mesozoic sediments expulsed mercury-bearing fluids that migrated up serpentine-related fractures and exhaled onto the surface.

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Mercury Emissions from Geothermal Power Plants

Cited by 42 publications

References 12 publications

Differential absorption lidar mapping of atmospheric atomic mercury in Italian geothermal fields

Differential absorption lidar mapping of atmospheric atomic mercury in Italian geothermal fields

Discharge of mercury from the Wairakei geothermal power station to the Waikato River, New Zealand

Mercury deposits of western California: an overview

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