Distribution and Origin of Evaporite Minerals from Dry Valleys, Victoria Land

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Evaporite minerals collected from the Dry Valleys region of Victoria Land were studied with X-ray diffraction analyses. Calcite, aragonite, monohydrocalcite, thermonatrite, trona, thenardite, gypsum, halite, sylvite, soda niter, bloedite, darapskite, and burkeite were identified in specimens from the ground surface, and calcite, fluorite, laumontite, chabazite, antarcticite, and chlorite in core samples. In general, carbonate minerals predominate in the Taylor Valley, while sulfate minerals, except thenardite, predominate in the Wright Valley. Halite and thenardite are widespread in both areas. Trona and thermonatrite are found exclusively in the eastern Taylor Valley, and soda niter, bloedite, and darapskite in the Wright Valley. From the comparison of the salts distribution and the chemical composition of lake water, it seems that the main sources of salts distributed in the Taylor Valley and the Wright Valley are of marine and/or air-borne origins, and a small amount of salts in core samples came from hydrothermal solution
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