Hydrochemical characteristics and driving factors of travertine deposition in Huanglong, Sichuan, SW, China

A study of Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area reveals that travertine deposition is primarily driven by carbonate rock weathering, with significant contributions from evaporated salt rocks. Surface water in the region exhibits low to moderate total dissolved solids (TDS) ranging from 109 to 559 mg/L, averaging 318.67 mg/L, and a weakly alkaline pH (6.81–8.62). Hydrochemical analysis identified HCO3–Ca as the dominant type, with Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ cations and HCO3⁻ anions showing strong correlations, indicating carbonate weathering as the main source of ions. Additional factors, such as water-rock interactions and ion exchange, also influence travertine formation. The research employed mathematical statistics, Piper diagrams, Gibbs diagrams, and ion correlation analysis to elucidate these processes.

Gao, W., Zhang, J., Zhang, W., Sun, D., Guo, J., Zhao, S., Zeng, Y., & Liu, X. (2023). Hydrochemical characteristics and driving factors of travertine deposition in Huanglong, Sichuan, SW, China. Water Science & Technology, 87(5), 1232–1249. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2023.048