The Hoshio Mineral Spring is characterized by CO
2-rich Na•Ca-HCO
3•Cl waters. During streaming down of spring water on a slope for about 120 m, pH, and CO
2, HCO
3-, Ca
2+ and Fe
2+ concentrations of the water change largely, caused by release of dissolved CO
2 and consequent precipitation of ferruginous and calcareous deposits. The changes of the other major components are due to dilution by shallow ground water. The precipitation of CaCO
3 starts when the degree of supersaturation reaches 14〜22. It occurs actively at the places where a travertine terrace is forming. Therefore, the precipitation of CaCO
3 seems to be controlled not only by the degree of supersaturation but by other factors such as the turbulence of stream. At one of the places where the dilution by ground water occurred, the increases of Ca
2+ and HCO
3- were observed, and it is estimated that the spring water should be undersaturated with CaCO
3, thus resulting in dissolution of CaCO
3. Although the degree of supersaturation is 3.3 at that place, the apparent supersaturation may be due to amorphous character of CaCO
3 freshly precipitated and/or over estimation of Ca
2+ and HCO
3- concentrations caused by dissolution of suspended fine CaCO
3 particles.
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