Criteria for classifying mineral water and natural hot water deposits according to exploration results in Vietnam

Criteria for classifying mineral water and natural hot water deposits according to exploration results in Vietnam (Internet image)

Circular 52/2014/TT-BTNMT stipulates the criteria for classifying groups of mineral water and natural hot water deposits based on exploration results, including: complexity of geological structure, hydrogeological conditions; Homogeneity of water-bearing rock permeability and variability of hydrochemical or hydrothermal properties of aquifers; Characteristics of water-conducting systems, sources of mineral water, and hot water reserves formation. The criteria for classifying groups of mineral water and natural hot water deposits based on exploration results in Vietnam are as follows:

1. Criteria for identifying simple deposit groups (referred to as group I):

- Layered deposits in pressured aquifers;

- Simple hydrogeological conditions;

- Stable aquifer bed, maintained thickness, homogeneous permeability;

- No mixing of mineral water, natural hot water with non-mineral, non-hot water sources;

- Parameters of total mineralization, content of chemical elements (trace elements), temperature, or chemical compounds accumulated and formed in the water source, with the primary extractable reserves being static elastic reserves or natural dynamic reserves.

2. Criteria for identifying complex deposit groups (referred to as group II):

- Partially layered deposits in pressured aquifers, intruded water deposits, fissure-fracture deposits in geological structures associated with deep-seated tectonic destruction systems, as well as deposits in the weathering crust of crystalline rocks, metamorphic rocks, and relatively homogeneous sedimentary permeability;

- Complex hydrogeological conditions;- Aquifer bed segmented by fault systems;

- The boundary between mineral water, natural hot water sources, and non-mineral, non-hot water sources is complicated in both plan and cross-section on exploration drawings, maps. Exploitation may cause intrusion of non-mineral, non-hot water into the mineral water, natural hot water collection works;

- Parameters of total mineralization, content of chemical elements (trace elements), temperature, or chemical compounds accumulated and formed in the water source, with extractable reserves possibly being natural dynamic reserves and static elastic reserves.

3. Criteria for identifying very complex deposit groups (referred to as group III):

- Fissure-fracture deposits in geological structures and in crystalline and metamorphic rock masses associated with shallow fault system distribution, intruded water deposits in near-surface aquifers, as well as deposits in the weathering crust of metamorphic and crystalline rocks with strong anisotropic permeability;

- Very complex hydrogeological conditions;

- Mineral water, natural hot water distributed locally within tectonic fracture zones, often highly heterogeneous spatially, or in rocks with heterogeneous permeability characterized by very limited distribution;

- Hydrochemical or hydrothermal boundaries may change during exploitation; for small deposits, this phenomenon may occur even during testing. Exploitation may cause intrusion of non-mineral, non-hot water into the mineral water, natural hot water collection works;- Parameters of total mineralization, content of chemical elements (trace elements), temperature, or chemical compounds accumulated and formed in the water source, with the primary extractable reserves being natural dynamic reserves.

Details can be viewed in Circular 52/2014/TT-BTNMT, which comes into effect in Vietnam from October 27, 2014.

Ty Na

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