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Geological setup and physicochemical characteristics of Munger Groups of thermal springs along Munger–Saharsa Ridge Fault, Bihar, India: A conceptual hydrogeochemical model

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Abstract

The hydrogeochemistry of hot springs located along the vast stretch of Munger–Saharsa Ridge Fault (MSR) zone in the Rajgir–Munger metasedimentary belt of eastern peninsular India is investigated. The temperature of springs lies between 25° and 65°C, with the highest surface manifestation in Bhimband. The thermal springs are issued from joints and fractures along MSR, East/West Patna faults of Precambrian quartzites and phyllites. The major ion composition elucidates that majority of waters are Ca–Mg–HCO3 type. The mechanisms controlling rock dominance origin of cations and both precipitation and rock dominance origin of anions in thermal waters are silicate rock weathering and ion-exchange processes between aquifer-rock and water. The mixing models illustrate that cold water causes intense dilution of geothermal fluids before discharge, with highest contribution in Bhaduria Bhar (76.6%) and lowest in Bhimband (55.4%) springs. The reservoir temperature as estimated based on quartz geothermometry ranges ~100°C grading springs as low enthalpic geothermal resources. Near-surface dilution disturbs Na/K-geochemical equilibrium and thus multi-component geothermometry furnish inaccurate results. Mineral phase saturation studies depict near equilibration of quartz and chalcedony with thermal waters. With all evidences of hydrogeochemical modelling, a conceptual model of recharge-mixing-discharge of thermal springs is proposed in the study.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all the officers and staff members of the Geological Survey of India, Northern Region Lucknow, who were associated with this project for their active co-operation in this study. AD acknowledges Dr Apratim Kumar Rai (Sr. Geologist) and Dr Abhisek Gupta (Sr. Chemist) for map construction and worthful suggestions. The authors are extremely grateful to the Additional Director General and HOD (NR), Geological Survey of India, Lucknow, for inspiration. Authors highly acknowledge the painstaking efforts taken by the associate editor and learned reviewer for constantly providing highly constructive suggestions for improving the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geological Survey of India, Northern Region, Lucknow, 226 024, India

    Archisman Dutta, Ayodhaya Prasad Thapliyal, Pramod Kumar Singh, Sandeep Rohilla & Ramesh Kumar Gupta

  2. Department of Chemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India

    Archisman Dutta

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  1. Archisman Dutta
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AD and AP designed and convinced the idea. Data from the field has been collected by AD and RKG under the supervision of AP. All authors contributed to the writing of the manuscript and its interpretations.

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Correspondence to Archisman Dutta.

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Communicated by George Mathew

Supplementary material pertaining to this article is available on the Journal of Earth System Science website (http://www.ias.ac.in/Journals/Journal_of_Earth_System_Science).

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Dutta, A., Thapliyal, A.P., Singh, P.K. et al. Geological setup and physicochemical characteristics of Munger Groups of thermal springs along Munger–Saharsa Ridge Fault, Bihar, India: A conceptual hydrogeochemical model. J Earth Syst Sci 132, 12 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-022-02023-8

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