Kyle Hot Springs are located in Secs. 1, 12, T29N, R36E. The locality is on the east edge of Buena Vista Valley less than 2 km west of a mountain-front fault that cuts alluvium (Stewart and Carlson, 1976b). The springs and spring deposits are clearly associated with several intersecting sets of faults ( figure). North-trending faults seem to be the principle conduits for thermal water (D.C. Noble, written commun., 1974). The spring area consists of a circular pool 2 m in diameter which has little if any visible discharge. A low mound of siliceous sinter about 137 m in diameter is present, and siliceous sinter and sulfur are presently being deposited. The odor of H2S is noticeable. The area has been used in the past as a health resort by a few people from Lovelock and other communities (Loeltz and Phoenix, 1955, p. 30-31). Wollenberg (1974b) reported that the pools are anomalously radioactive (250 to 500 µR/hr). The maximum temperature has been variously reported as 70.5°C (Loeltz and Phoenix, 1955), 77°C (Mariner and others, 1974) and 95.6°C (Sanders and Miles, 1974). Mariner and others (1974) reported that the spring deposits are mostly travertine with a trace of disseminated silica, and they estimate the thermal-aquifer temperature to be 171-194°C by use of the silica and Na-K-Ca geothermometers. Wollenberg and others (1977) reported that the springs are presently depositing CaCO3. D.C. Noble, (written commun., 1974) reported that spring deposits about (1 kilometer) 1.1 km southeast of the present Kyle Hot Springs contain considerable amounts of siliceous sinter. In 1993 hot water (79°C) and oil were encountered in a gold-exploration drill hole about 1.6 km south of the hot springs (in SW¼ Sec. 12, T27N, R52E) (Schalla and others, 1994). McMannes and others (1981) summarized geophysical, geochemical, and gradient-hole drilling in the area.
Photos
Airphoto