2026-06-07T16:21:26Zhttps://docta.ucm.es/rest/oai/request

oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/1337322026-03-04T00:47:25Zcom_20.500.14352_14col_20.500.14352_15

Fluid-rock interaction signature in Palomares fault zone : new mineralogical and geochemical insights into the tectono-magmatic Águilas arc geothermal system (SE Spain) Real Fernández, Elena Pozo, Manuel De Ignacio San José, Cristina Sánchez Malo, Ángel Sanz Rubio, Enrique Villa, Luis 549 Fault rocks Fluid–rock interactions Hydrothermal-geothermal fluids Brine waters Mineralogy Trace elements geochemistry Mineralogía (Geología) 2506.11 Mineralogía The southeastern Iberian Peninsula, particularly the Águilas Arc within the Neogene Volcanic Province (NVP), represents a promising geothermal domain with complex tectonics and geology. The Palomares Fault Zone (PFZ), a key shear structure initiated during the Late Miocene, acts as a conduit for fluid migration, promoting mineralization and potential anomalies of rare and critical metals through fluid–rock interaction. This study investigates such interactions in the southernmost Águilas Arc, focusing on the El Arteal fault segment within the eastern PFZ strand. Mineralogical, geochemical, and hydrogeological analyses were performed using XRD, SEM, and ICP-MS techniques. Results reveal six mineral assemblages (MA) within the fault segment where the fault gouge samples were characterized by cataclastic textures and the occurrence of authigenic minerals, including halite, kaolinite, illite, paragonite, goethite, hematite, gypsum, barite, celestine, and quartz. Geochemical data indicate enrichment signatures in large-ion lithophile elements (LILE) and minor chalcophile and light rare-earth elements (LREE). Two thermal hydrofacies with alkaline metals enrichment were identified in wells and mine shafts: (1) Na+SO42− and (2) Na+Cl−, where the latter exhibits high Na+ and Cl− concentrations toward deeper sectors. These findings suggest multiple stages of fluid–rock interaction controlled by temperature: an early phase dominated by epithermal mineralization, followed by late-stage circulation of hypersaline fluids. This evolution provides an abnormal geochemical signature that is unique in the Aguilas Arc Geothermal System. MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 MINERSA Geomnia Natural Resources S.L.N.E. Depto. de Mineralogía y Petrología Fac. de Ciencias Geológicas TRUE pub 2026-03-03T14:57:32Z 2026-03-03T14:57:32Z 2026-01-30 journal article VoR https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/133732 XXXX-XXXX 10.3390/app16031420 eng DIN2022-012822 Real-Fernández, E., Pozo, M., De Ignacio, C., Sánchez-Malo, Á., Sanz-Rubio, E., & Villa, L. (2026). Fluid-rock interaction signature in palomares fault zone—New mineralogical and geochemical insights into the tectono-magmatic águilas arc geothermal system(Se spain). Applied Sciences, 16(3), 1420. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16031420 Attribution 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ open access application/pdf MDPI