Himalayan Geology, Vol. 44 (2), 2023, pp. 9-14, Printed in India

Stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope investigation of the saline and hyperalkaline springs in parts of the Inner Fold Belt and Ophiolite Complex of Manipur and Nagaland, India

KHAYINGSHING LUIREI¹*, KAPESA LOKHO¹, HORTHING V. ZIMIK², VIKOLENO RINO³, NGAZIPMI CHAHONG⁴, SAMEER K. TIWARI¹ MIRINSING ANGKANG⁵, NGANAOMI KHANGRAH⁶, HIEVINU OLIVIA RICHA³, KHRÜZOTO NEIKHA³, GLENN T. THONG³

¹Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, India

²Discipline of Earth Sciences, IIT Gandhinagar, India

³Department of Geology, Nagaland University, Kohima, Nagaland, India

⁴Geological Survey of India, Dimapur (State unit Manipur and Nagaland), India

⁵Geological Survey of India, Chennai (State unit Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry), India

⁶Geological Survey of India, Lucknow (State unit Uttar Pradesh), India

*Email (Corresponding author): ashing_luirei@rediffmail.com

Abstract: Several saline and hyperalkaline springs occur in Manipur and Nagaland. In most parts of Manipur, the springs occur mainly in the Disang country rocks, with a few in the ophiolite belt. In northern Manipur and Nagaland, they are reported from rocks of the Disang and Barail groups. The springs have TDS contents varying significantly from 532 to 32,700 mg/l. An attempt is made for the first time to determine the source of the spring waters utilizing stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen. The structural and lithological controls on the springs are also taken into account. The stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen indicate the meteoric and metamorphic origin of the waters.

Keywords: Saline springs, hyperalkaline springs, meteoric origin, metamorphic origin, ophiolite complex