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Wednesday, May 4, 2016

India: 58°C Geothermal Spring Discovered in Rajasthan

A Rare Geothermal Well discovered in Pali!

Hot water well technically called Geothermal wells are unheard of in Rajasthan which is a very rare and unique geographical feature. Surprisingly, earth scientists have discovered one at Bichardi village located between Beawar and Pali which is perhaps the first of its kind to be reported in the state.

However, for his ignorance about the rare geographical feature, the beleaguered owner, considers it as a curse rather than an asset because it is a cumbersome and time taking process to cool down the water to make it fit for irrigation daily.

This hot water spewing well situated in a private land, has a water-table at depth of ~30 m, which is pumped out for irrigating the agriculture field of a farmer. The temperature has been recorded to be above 58°C (136°F) even during extreme winter days.

Though the rock exposures are not present in the area, geologist believe that the metamorphosed mica schist of Delhi Supergroup of rocks be the aquifer. A deep fissure or permeable contact in the area drive the groundwater deep into the earth’s crust. Because of the geothermal gradient (~30°C/km), the water is heated in these hot rocks at depth and is driven up again to give rise to this rare feature. Hot water can hold higher quantities of dissolved salts that they collect during their journey through the rocks. Hence this brackish water is high in total dissolved salts (TDS) 3600 ppm, (permissible limit – PL, is 2000 ppm), high in chlorides  1800 ppm (PL 1000 ppm), high in fluoride 2.5 ppm (PL1.5 ppm), pH=7.5, turbidity=0.5, nitrates – 14 ppm. Being non-volcanic geothermal water it does not have sulphur.

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