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Radiogenic heat production in rocks from the Sabinas Basin (northeastern Mexico) determined by in situ gamma radiation measurements

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Abstract

In situ gamma radiation measurements were performed to calculate the radiogenic heat production of sedimentary and igneous rocks from the Sabinas Basin (northeastern Mexico). The sedimentary rocks include Cretaceous shales, sandstones, and limestones. The igneous rocks consist of basalts and granodiorites (Tertiary age). The basalts belong to different volcanic fields (Las Esperanzas, Ocampo, and Las Coloradas), and the granodiorites belong to the Candela-Monclova magmatic belt (Marcelinos, Pánuco, Colorado, and Providencia intrusions). The studied rocks samples yielded values of up to 13.4 ppm, 47.3 ppm, and 9.1% for uranium (U), thorium (Th), and potassium (K), respectively, and their radiogenic heat production (RHP) values ranged from 0.11 to 6.42 µWm−3. The studied rocks were accordingly classified as having low (< 2 µWm−3), moderate (2–4 µWm−3), and high (> 4 µWm−3) RHP. Most studied rocks were characterized by a low heat production, and only 12% of the measurements indicated samples with moderate and high heat production rates. These latter rocks samples are represented by clastic sedimentary rocks such as shale of the Olmos Formation Maastrichtian age and sandstone of the Pátula Formation Hauterivian–Barremian age, and granodiorites. The highest RHP values in the sedimentary rocks are related to quartz, K-feldspars, and clay contents, and their location of deep faults. The RHP values of granodiorites are associated with their K-feldspar, sphene, zircon, and apatite contents. Such values are different in each of the intrusions and reach the highest magnitudes in the Marcelinos intrusion. The three volcanic fields reported differences in the RHP values, associated with K-feldspar and apatite, and with high and low basement blocks of the Sabinas Basin. The relationship of the RHP values with previously reported heat flow zones indicates the radiogenic contribution of the studied rocks to the heat flow in such basin.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Autonomous University of Coahuila and particularly the Higher School of Engineering for their support with this research.

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  1. Escuela Superior de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Blvd. Licenciado Adolfo López Mateos S/N, Nueva Rosita, Coahuila, Mexico

    J. A. Batista-Rodríguez, J. Tolentino-Álvarez, R. Y. Batista-Cruz, Y. Almaguer-Carmenates & F. J. López-Saucedo

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  1. J. A. Batista-Rodríguez
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Batista-Rodríguez, J.A., Tolentino-Álvarez, J., Batista-Cruz, R.Y. et al. Radiogenic heat production in rocks from the Sabinas Basin (northeastern Mexico) determined by in situ gamma radiation measurements. Environ Earth Sci 82, 458 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-023-11157-x

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