A preliminary study on the spatial distribution characteristics and causes of strontium-rich mineral water in the Dushan complex

The mountain rocks in the Dushan Complex are Sr-rich granite with a much higher Sr level than those in other crustal lithospheres in eastern China. That presents a high potential for developing Sr-rich mineral water. In this study, 6 groups of rock samples, together with 30 groups of water samples, were collected. Combining with the existing data, the Sr contents in three different types of underground water were obtained, which are the Quaternary pore water, the meshed bedrock fissure water in weathered zones and the tectonic bedrock fissure water. On the basis of preliminary understanding for the distribution characteristics of Sr-rich mineral water in the Dushan Mountain region, the causes for the Sr-rich mineral water were investigated. Our results showed that the Sr content of the rocks in the studied area ranges from 988 to 1 950 μg/g. In the horizontal direction, those in both the pore water and the meshed bedrock fissure water in weathered zones show high values in the west but low ones in the east, and high ones in the south but low ones in the north. Furthermore, both types of water meet the standard for Sr-rich mineral water in the western areas. In the vertical direction, the Sr content shows the lowest value in pore water (the average value is 0.707 mg/L), middle value in the meshed bedrock fissure water in weathered zones (the average value is 1.415 mg/L) and the highest value in the tectonic bedrock fissure water (the average value is 8.331 mg/L). It was thought that the widely-developed Sr-rich granite in this region provides physical sources for the formation of Sr-rich mineral water. The continuous dissolution of Sr during underground water runoff is the internal mechanism. In addition, the hydraulic interrelations may exist between the three vertical aquifers, leading a continuous accumulation of the Sr level during infiltration.