| Abstract |
Chemical analyses of most hot and warm springs have been carried out by the Federal Electricity Commission, as a first step for the assessment of the geothermal potential of Mexico. These analyses include data from a large part of the country and characterize most tectonic provinces. The temperature of the thermal waters range from slightly above 30eC up to the boiling point. The chemistry of the waters is also variable, and it reflects the existence of mixing processes with cold groundwater for most springs. Here, chemical analyses data for 19 of the 24 states with important hydrothermal activity manifestations are presented. The results of contouring the concentration values indicate a well defined trend in the data, showing major maxima anomalies for chloride and silica associated with the most active areas: Transmexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB), Chiapas, and the continuation of the Rio Grande Rift in the northern part of Mexico. Deep temperatures calculated with geothermometers indicate that the heat sources are related to recent volcanic and tectonic processes. |