The characteristics, formation and exploration progress of the potash deposits on the Khorat Plateau, Thailand and Laos, Southeast Asia

Li-jian Shen; Nuchit Siritongkham

doi:10.31035/cg2020009

2020 Vol. 3, No. 1

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Article navigation > China Geology > 2020 > 3(1): 67-82

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Li-jian Shen, Nuchit Siritongkham, 2020. The characteristics, formation and exploration progress of the potash deposits on the Khorat Plateau, Thailand and Laos, Southeast Asia, China Geology, 3, 67-82. doi: 10.31035/cg2020009

Citation:

The characteristics, formation and exploration progress of the potash deposits on the Khorat Plateau, Thailand and Laos, Southeast Asia

Li-jian Shen^a, ,,
Nuchit Siritongkham^b

a.
Ministry of Natural Resources Key laboratory of Metallogeny and Mineral Assessment, Institute of Mineral Resources, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China
b.
Mineral Resources Division, Department of Mineral Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, 75/10 Rama VI Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand

More Information

Corresponding author: shenlijian1019@126.com (Li-jian Shen)

Received Date: 15 December 2019

Revised Date: 08 February 2020

Accepted Date: 12 February 2020

Available Online: 16 March 2020

Publish Date: 25 January 2020

Abstract

Abstract

The giant potash deposit on the Khorat Plateau is one of the most promising targets for exploitation of potassium salts. So far, many researches and geologic survey have been conducted on the giant potash deposits. Hence, it is necessary to make an overall review on the potash deposits. The potash deposit on the Khorat Plateau was formed during the Middle to Late Cretaceous, during which seawater was enriched in Ca²⁺ and depleted in SO₄^2- compared with those of modern seawater. In addition to seawater, continental water and hydrothermal fluids could have affected the evaporite basins. The seawater was probably derived from Tethys ocean, and the brine should have evaporated to some extent before entering into the basin systems based on the evidence of absence of carbonates and unproportionate sulphate compared with chloride salts. The paleo-climate during Middle to Late Cretaceous was characterized as high temperature and extremely arid environment, which is favourable for deposition of potassium-magnesium saline minerals. The major saline minerals are of anhydrite, halite, carnallite, sylvite and, tachyhydrite, with trace amounts of borates. The resources of the potash deposit on the Khorat Plateau could be approximately as much as 400×10⁹ t of carnallite and 7×10⁹ t of sylvite. The evaporite sequences have been deformed and altered by postdepositinal processes, including tectonic movements and chemical alteration. Salt domes were formed in the postdepositional processes. Based on the analyses of geophysical surveys and drilling projects, high-quality sylvinite ores are commonly found at the flanks of those salt domes due to incongruent dissolution of carnallite. The future potential prospecting areas for the high-quality sylvinite ores would be on the edges of the Khorat Plateau.
- Potash deposit /
- Cretaceous /
- Formation model /
- Seawater /
- Post-depositional alteration /
- Potential exploration target /
- Mineral exploration engineering /
- Thailand /
- Laos /
- Southeast Asia

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References

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