Читать книгу The Economic Aspect of Geology - C. K. Leith - Страница 66

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With the solid earth as the special care of geology, it may seem presumptuous for the geologist to claim the waters thereof, but he does not disclaim this inheritance. Water is so all-pervasive that it is more or less taken for granted; and so many and so intricate are its relations that it is not easy to make an objective survey of the water problem in its relation to geology.

The original source of water, as well as of air, is in molten magmas coming from below. These carry water and gases—some of which are released and some of which are locked up in the rocks on cooling, to be later released during the alterations of the rocks. It is supposed, whatever theory of the origin of the earth we favor, that in its early stages the earth lacked both hydrosphere and atmosphere, and that during the growth of the earth these gradually accumulated on and near the surface in the manner stated.

During alterations at the surface water is added to the mineral constitution of the rocks, and by alterations deep below the surface it may be subtracted. Water is the agent through which most mineral and chemical changes of rocks are accomplished. It is the agent also which is mainly responsible for the segregation of mineral deposits. Water, both as running water and in the solid form of ice, plays an important part in determining the configuration of the earth's surface. Water is the medium in which most sedimentary rocks are formed. It is an important agent in the development of soil and in organic growth. These various influences of water on geological processes touch the economic field at many points, especially in relation to the concentration of ores and to the development of soils and surface forms.

Water comes even more directly into the field of economic geology as a mineral resource. Water supplies, for the greatest variety of purposes, involve geologic considerations at almost every turn.

Finally, water may be an aid or a hindrance to excavation and to a great variety of structural operations, both in war and in peace; and in this relation it again affords geologic problems.

The part played by water in geologic processes, such as that of mineral segregation, is more or less incidentally discussed in other chapters. We may consider more fully in this chapter the application of geology to the general subject of water supplies.

From the geological point of view, water is a mineral—one of the most important of minerals—as well as a constituent of other minerals. It becomes a mineral resource when directly used by man. It is ordinarily listed as a mineral resource when shipped and sold as "mineral water," but there is obviously no satisfactory line between waters so named and water supplies in general, for most of them are used for the same purposes and none of them are free from mineral matter. Water which is pumped and piped for municipal water supply is as much a mineral resource as water which is bottled and sold under a trade name. Likewise water which is used for irrigation, water power, and a wide variety of other purposes may logically be considered a mineral resource.

Notwithstanding the immense economic importance of water as a mineral resource its value is more or less taken for granted, and considerations of valuation and taxation are much less in evidence than in the case of other mineral resources. Water must be had, regardless of value, and market considerations are to a much less extent a limiting factor. Economic applications of geology to this resource are rather more confined to matters of exploration, development, total supply, and conservation, than to attempts to fix money value.