Recent attempt in
geochemical and isotopic investigation at Fang geothermal area has been
done by staff of Geothermal Working Group of Thailand under a support in
isotopic determinations and sampling facilities from the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) though a regional TC project (RAS 8075). The
investigation is able to indicate and confirm the upflow part of the system
southeast of manifestation area whereas most shallow wells at Fang appear
to be sitting over the outflow. Reservoir temperatures of 170oC
and geochemical modeling of the thermal fluids are determined by using
WATCH 2.1. Computer simulation indicates a low pH (less than 5.5) for deep
thermal water. At the shallow reservoir, boiling at about 120oC
increases the pH to 8.0 or more due to the loss of carbon dioxide. Subsequently
after boiling, the thermal water tends to be oversaturated with respect
to calcite, fluorite and quartz. An Oxygen shift among the thermal water
samples has been observed in this study and is referred to isotopic exchange
with wall rocks. The different enrichment of d
18
O between shallow and deep wells might be due to different in residence
time of the water in exchange reactions. Since it is apparent that shallow
well water samples collected near upflow area have their isotopic composition
more or less similar to local meteoric water whereas the deeper wells far
away are well enriched in d
18
O. A geothermal conceptual model is proposed in order to explain all data
observed. The main geothermal reservoir of Fang, which received water from
local precipitation, is probably situated at depth less than 2 km. due
south of the study area. Thermal water from this deep reservoir has probably
flown northwards to the manifestation area via intersection of local faults.
It is also suggested that the deposition of fluorite at a nearby mine might
have been formed by interaction of the fluoride rich thermal fluid and
limestone wall rock.