New and past geochemical data on fresh to brine waters of the Salar de Atacama and Andean Altiplano, northern Chile

Abstract

Abstract The paper deals with the major chemistry and stable isotopes (hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, sulfur, strontium) of waters and solutes from the Salar de Atacama basin (Rio Pedro, Honar Creek and Laguna Chaxa) and Andean Altiplano (Laguna Miñique and Laguna Miscanti). The water inflows of the Salar are chemically quite different, the Rio San Pedro being of Na‐Cl type and the Honar Creek of Na‐HCO 3 type, in keeping with the sedimentary‐evaporitic and volcanic nature of the catchment rocks respectively. The δ 34 S and δ 18 O values of sulfate and the 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio of strontium in the streams match those of drained rocks, whereas the δ 13 C values of dissolved carbonate are largely controlled by vegetation. The lagoons are evaporated meteoric water bodies, and the relative air humidity estimated from the slope of the isotopic evaporation line is in accordance with historical data on air humidity in the area. The Laguna Chaxa is Na‐Cl rich, and its isotopic composition are consistent with a mixed sedimentary‐volcanic provenance of sulfur and strontium solutes. The Laguna Miñique is Na‐SO 4 rich, and its sulfate δ 34 S is nearly identical to that of Laguna Chaxa. The δ 13 C(HCO 3 ) values are quite different in the Laguna Chaxa and Laguna Miñique, with the former being notably enriched in 13 C probably because of preferential uptake of 12 C by the high biological productivity occurring in the lagoon. The limited set of new data is interpreted in the context of a much larger literature database. In particular, previous chemical data on inflows and brines in the Salar de Atacama were revisited, and compared with evaporation path models and mineral stability diagrams (boron, lithium and Mg‐minerals) computed using updated software and thermodynamic databases. The modeling shows that the removal of boron and lithium from sulfate‐rich brines possibly occurs, respectively, as ulexite and sulfate salts, and carnallite should be the final magnesium phase of the brine evolution.