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Encyclopedia of Geochemistry pp 1–6Cite as

Hydrothermal Solutions

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Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

Definition

An aqueous solution with temperatures exceeding Earth’s surface temperature (hydro = water, thermal = hot). Hydrothermal solutions originate in Earth’s subsurface and carry dissolved minerals, salts, and gases.

Introduction

In Earth Sciences, hydrothermal solutions are predominantly hot briny aqueous solutions present in Earth’s subsurface and surface. They exist in meteoric, seawater, (sedimentary) basinal, metaphormic as well as magmatic systems, and are solvents for mineral-building and carbon-bearing species, as well as gases, and often carry high concentrations of sodium chloride. These solutions are key actors to both mass and heat transport in the subsurface, and have formed vast numbers of hydrothermal mineral deposits throughout geological times. The study of hydrothermal solutions is needed to resolve the conditions under which metals ions migrate in hot briny fluids in Earth’s crust to form economically valuable...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, 901 87, Umeå, SE, Sweden

    Jean-François Boily

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  1. Jean-François Boily
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Correspondence to Jean-François Boily .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth, Cornell University Department of Earth, Ithaca, New York, USA

    William M. White

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Boily, JF. (2017). Hydrothermal Solutions. In: White, W. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geochemistry. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39193-9_66-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39193-9_66-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-39193-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-39193-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Earth and Environm. ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences

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