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Salt deposits in Los Medanos area, Eddy and Lea Counties, New Mexico

Open-File Report 73-135
By: , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr73135

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Abstract

The salt deposits of Los Medanos area, in Eddy and Lea Counties, southeastern New Mexico, are being considered for possible use as a receptacle for radioactive wastes in a pilot-plant repository. The salt deposits of the area. are in three evaporite formations: the Castile, Salado, and Rustler Formations, in ascending order. The three formations are dominantly anhydrite and rock salt, but some gypsum, potassium ores, carbonate rock, and fine-grained clastic rocks are present. They have combined thicknesses of slightly more than 4,000 feet, of which roughly one-half belongs to the Salado. Both the Castile and the Rustler are-richer in anhydrite-and poorer in rock salt-than the Salado, and they provide this salt-rich formation with considerable Protection from any fluids which might be present in underlying or overlying rocks. The Salado Formation contains many thick seams of rock salt at moderate depths below the surface. The rock salt has a substantial cover of well-consolidated rocks, and it is very little deformed structurally. Certain geological details essential for Waste-storage purposes are unknown or poorly known, and additional study involving drilling is required to identify seams of rock salt suitable for storage purposes and to establish critical details of their chemistry, stratigraphy, and structure.

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Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Salt deposits in Los Medanos area, Eddy and Lea Counties, New Mexico
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 73-135
DOI 10.3133/ofr73135
Year Published 1973
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Description Report: v, 67 p.; 13 Plates: 17.00 × 29.00 inches or smaller
Country United States
State New Mexico
County Eddy County, Lea County
Other Geospatial Los Medanos area
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