Hydrochemical formation mechanism of mineral springs in Changbai Mountain (China)

Changbai Mountain area is an important mineral water storage and development area in China. The hydrochemical composition of mineral water is the decisive factor for mineral–water quality. Based on the hydrochemical data of 74 mineral water samples collected from 2018 to 2020, the characteristics and formation mechanism of the hydrochemical components of the mineral water were analyzed. The results show that the formation of single-type mineral springs (metasilicate mineral water) is controlled by rock weathering; compound mineral springs (metasilicate mineral water with high CO2 content) are the product of CO2-rich, weakly acidic, confined hot groundwater with high salinity, which are mixed with shallow groundwater as rising along the fracture. The volcanic geological process greatly influences the formation of the hydrochemical components of mineral springs on the North slope of Changbai Mountain. The mineral springs on the Longgang Mountain are greatly affected by human activities. The results of cluster analysis only consider that hydrochemical components are consistent with the classification of the areas which concentrated distributions of mineral as determined by hydrogeological and geomorphological studies. The results of this study are useful for understanding the distribution, hydrochemical characteristics, and formation mechanism of mineral springs in the Changbai Mountain area of China and provide the theoretical basis for the protection and development of mineral spring.