D. Kirk Nordstrom
Dr. Nordstrom is a hydrogeochemist (emeritus) with the US Geological Survey whose works covers acid mine drainage, geothermal water chemistry, radioactive waste research, groundwater geochemistry, analytical chemistry, redox species, geochemical modeling, thermodynamic data evaluation, and geomicrobiology.
Dr. Nordstrom has worked on field sites, on laboratory studies, and theoretical calculations having to do with water-rock interactions. Field work includes interpreting the origin, evolution, fate, and consequences of acid mine drainage from metal mining, interpreting groundwater chemistry in a variety of aquifer systems, and interpreting the origins and evolution of geothermal water chemistry. He has contributed to the interpretation of groundwater composition in deep aquifer systems considered for nuclear waste disposal; the development of preservation methods and new analytical techniques for aqueous species, especially redox species, in natural waters; and the application of geochemical modeling to the interpretation of water-rock interactions for both surface and groundwaters. He has contributed to the development of geochemical modeling codes and the evaluation of thermodynamic data used in the codes. He has studied the role of microbes in the rates and processes of oxidation and reduction of redox-sensitive elements. He has focused often on the hydrogeochemical behavior of arsenic and fluoride which are often found as geogenic contaminants in groundwaters. He has worked on four USEPA Superfund sites and close to 100 mine sites.
Professional Experience
Assistant Professor, University of Virginia, 1976-80
Associate Editor for Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 1986-87
Managing Editor for Geochemistry for Earth-Science Reviews, 2006-09
Co-editor for “Sulfate Minerals – Crystallography, Geochemistry, and Environmental Significance,” with John Jambor and Charles Alpers, Mineralogical Society of America and Geochemical Society, 2000
Editor for “Groundwater Geochemistry: A practical guide to modeling of natural and contaminated systems” by B.J. Merkel and B. Planer-Friedrich, 2005, Springer, Berlin and second edition, 2008
Co-editor for “Arsenic: Environmental Geochemistry, Mineralogy, and Microbiology,” with Rob Bowell, Charles Alpers, and Heather Jamieson, Mineralogical Association of America and Geochemical Society, 2014
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. (Geochemistry) Stanford University, 1977
M.S. (Geology) University of Colorado, 1971
B.A. (Chemistry) Southern Illinois University, 1969
Affiliations and Memberships*
Member, American Association for the Advancement of Science
Member, Geochemical Society
Fellow, Geological Society of America, (Hydrogeology Division)
Fellow, Mineralogical Society of America
Fellow, International Association of Geochemistry
Member, International Mine Water Association
Member, Board of Radioactive Waste Management, National Academy of Sciences, 1990-96
Member, Science Advisory Board, Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, 2000-09
Honors and Awards
Sigma Xi Grant in Aid of Research, 1970
Grant from the Anaconda Company, 1970
National Science Foundation Fellowship, 1970 71
Stanford Scholarship, 1975-76
American Men and Women of Science, 33rd edition
Who's Who in the West, 21st edition
Adjunct Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, 1991-2004
Birdsall-Dreiss Distinguished Lectureship Award, Geological Society of America, 1996
Phoebe Apperson Hearst Distinguished Lecturer (University of California Berkeley), 1998
Fellow, Mineralogical Society of America, 2000
Fellow, Geological Society of America, 2001
Meritorious Service Award, US Department of the Interior, 2002
Cooperative Conservation Award, US Department of the Interior, 2008
International Ingerson Lecture Award, International Association of Geochemistry, 2009
Friend of Water-Rock Interaction Award, International Association of Geochemistry, 2010
Adrian Smith Lecture Award, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2011
USGS Water Research Lecture Award, 2012
Adjunct Professor Award, Department of Chemistry, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia 2014-17
Brian Hitchon Award, International Association of Geochemistry, 2016 (most cited paper of 2011)
Leader of Water-Rock Interaction Award, International Association of Geochemistry, 2016
Halbouty Visiting Chair Award, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX, March, 2018
Abstracts and Presentations
US Geological Survey (1985-2000) Geochemistry of Ground Water Systems 2-week Training Course (w/ others)
CIEMAT/ENRESA, Madrid (1994) Short course on Aqueous Geochemistry & Geochemical Modeling
CIEMAT/ENRESA, Madrid (1996) Short course on Isotope Hydrogeochemistry (with Niel Plummer)
ATSDR, Atlanta, GA (1997) Short course on Geochemical Modeling (with Jim Ball)
Porto University, Portugal (2008) Short Course on Arsenic Geochemistry, April 28-May 3
State of California Water Board (2009) Short Course on Characterizing, Predicting, and Modeling Water Quality at Mine Sites, May 18-21
Wuhan University, Hubei, China (2009) Advances in Hydrogeochemistry, March 23-26
University of Concepcion, Chile (2010) Short Course on Mining and Sustainability, October 11-15
Society for Economic Geologists (2010) Environmental Geochemistry for Modern Mining, October 29-30, Denver, CO (Annual Meeting of Geological Society of America)
EPA Webinar Workshop (2013) Predicting and modeling water chemistry associated with hardrock mine sites, February 13
National University of Salta, Argentina, Short Course on the Geochemistry of Acid Mine Drainage
Murdoch University, Australia (2015) Master Class: Introduction to Geochemical Modeling, Feb. 24
China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China (2015) Half-day seminar on Introduction to PHREEQC
Luleå University of Technology (2017) Geochemical modeling for mine site characterization and Luleå, Sweden remediation with PHREEQC exercises, July 3 – 5
Texas A&M University (2018) Chemical Elements in Water, March 1 – 31
Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China (2018) Chemical Elements in Water, July 16-28
Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS (2019) Overview of Groundwater Chemistry: Convergence of Chemistry, Geology and Hydrology
More than 250 abstracts presented at professional society meetings, more than 150 presentations within the USGS, other universities, and other national and international institutions (other than courses taught). Numerous briefings to state and federal agencies.
Science and Products
A geochemical examination of humidity cell tests
Thermodynamic properties in the Fe(II)-Fe(III)-As(V)-HClO4–H2O and Fe(II)-Fe(III)-As(V)-HCl–H2O systems from 5 to 90 °C
Multireaction equilibrium geothermometry: A sensitivity analysis using data from the Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, USA
Ionic molal conductivities, activity coefficients, and dissociation constants of HAsO42− and H2AsO4− from 5 to 90°C and ionic strengths from 0.001 up to 3 mol kg−1 and applications in natur
Geothermal solute flux monitoring and the source and fate of solutes in the Snake River, Yellowstone National Park, WY
Dissolved gases in hydrothermal (phreatic) and geyser eruptions at Yellowstone National Park, USA
An overview of environmental impacts and reclamation efforts at the Iron Mountain mine, Shasta County, California
An environmental survey of Serpentine Hot Springs: Geology, hydrology, geochemistry, and microbiology
Effects and quantification of acid runoff from sulfide-bearing rock deposited during construction of Highway E18, Norway
Hydrogeochemistry and microbiology of mine drainage: An update
Baseline and premining geochemical characterization of mined sites
Applied Geochemistry Special Issue on Environmental geochemistry of modern mining
Science and Products
- Data
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Filter Total Items: 164
A geochemical examination of humidity cell tests
Humidity cell tests (HCTs) are long-term (20 to >300 weeks) leach tests that are considered by some to be the among the most reliable geochemical characterization methods for estimating the leachate quality of mined materials. A number of modifications have been added to the original HCT method, but the interpretation of test results varies widely. We suggest that the HCTs represent an underutilizAuthorsAnn Maest, D. Kirk NordstromThermodynamic properties in the Fe(II)-Fe(III)-As(V)-HClO4–H2O and Fe(II)-Fe(III)-As(V)-HCl–H2O systems from 5 to 90 °C
Fe-As mineral solubility and associated aqueous species have been intensively studied because of the environmental need to immobilize arsenic. The thermodynamic data for aqueous iron-arsenic species are inadequately characterized, however. The Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, entropy, and heat capacity and activity coefficients were refined in the Fe(II)-Fe(III)-As(V)-HClO4-H2O and Fe(II)-Fe(III)-As(VAuthorsXiangyu Zhu, D. Kirk Nordstrom, R. Blaine McCleskey, Rucheng Wang, Xiancai LuMultireaction equilibrium geothermometry: A sensitivity analysis using data from the Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, USA
A multireaction chemical equilibria geothermometry (MEG) model applicable to high-temperature geothermal systems has been developed over the past three decades. Given sufficient data, this model provides more constraint on calculated reservoir temperatures than classical chemical geothermometers that are based on either the concentration of silica (SiO2), or the ratios of cation concentrations. AAuthorsJonathan M. King, Shaul Hurwitz, Jacob B. Lowenstern, D. Kirk Nordstrom, R. Blaine McCleskeyIonic molal conductivities, activity coefficients, and dissociation constants of HAsO42− and H2AsO4− from 5 to 90°C and ionic strengths from 0.001 up to 3 mol kg−1 and applications in natur
Arsenic is known to be one of the most toxic inorganic elements, causing worldwide environmental contamination. However, many fundamental properties related to aqueous arsenic species are not well known which will inhibit our ability to understand the geochemical behavior of arsenic (e.g. speciation, transport, and solubility). Here, the electrical conductivity of Na2HAsO4 solutions has been measuAuthorsXiangyu Zhu, D. Kirk Nordstrom, R. Blaine McCleskey, Rucheng WangGeothermal solute flux monitoring and the source and fate of solutes in the Snake River, Yellowstone National Park, WY
The combined geothermal discharge from over 10,000 features in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) can be can be estimated from the Cl flux in the Madison, Yellowstone, Falls, and Snake Rivers. Over the last 30 years, the Cl flux in YNP Rivers has been calculated using discharge measurements and Cl concentrations determined in discrete water samples and it has been determined that approximately 12% ofAuthorsR. Blaine McCleskey, Jacob B. Lowenstern, Jonas Schaper, D. Kirk Nordstrom, Henry P. Heasler, Dan MahonyDissolved gases in hydrothermal (phreatic) and geyser eruptions at Yellowstone National Park, USA
Multiphase and multicomponent fluid flow in the shallow continental crust plays a significant role in a variety of processes over a broad range of temperatures and pressures. The presence of dissolved gases in aqueous fluids reduces the liquid stability field toward lower temperatures and enhances the explosivity potential with respect to pure water. Therefore, in areas where magma is actively degAuthorsShaul Hurwitz, Laura Clor, R. Blaine McCleskey, D. Kirk Nordstrom, Andrew G. Hunt, William C. EvansAn overview of environmental impacts and reclamation efforts at the Iron Mountain mine, Shasta County, California
No abstract availableAuthorsJames A Jacobs, Stephen M. Testa, Charles N. Alpers, D. Kirk NordstromAn environmental survey of Serpentine Hot Springs: Geology, hydrology, geochemistry, and microbiology
Serpentine Hot Springs is the most visited site in the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. The hot springs have traditionally been used by the Native people of the Seward Peninsula for religious, medicinal and spiritual purposes and continue to be used in many of the same ways by Native people today. The hot springs are also popular with non-Native users from Nome and other communities, recreatiAuthorsD. Kirk Nordstrom, Linda Hasselbach, Steven E. Ingebritsen, Dana Skorupa, R. Blaine McCleskey, Timothy R. McDermottEffects and quantification of acid runoff from sulfide-bearing rock deposited during construction of Highway E18, Norway
The Highway E18 between the cities of Grimstad and Kristiansand, southern Norway, constructed in the period 2006–2009, cuts through sulfide-bearing rock. The geology of this area is dominated by slowly-weathering gneiss and granites, and oxidation of fresh rock surfaces can result in acidification of surface water. Sulfide-containing rock waste from excavations during construction work was therefoAuthorsAtle Hindar, D. Kirk NordstromHydrogeochemistry and microbiology of mine drainage: An update
The extraction of mineral resources requires access through underground workings, or open pit operations, or through drillholes for solution mining. Additionally, mineral processing can generate large quantities of waste, including mill tailings, waste rock and refinery wastes, heap leach pads, and slag. Thus, through mining and mineral processing activities, large surface areas of sulfide mineralAuthorsD. Kirk Nordstrom, D.W Blowes, C.J. PtacekBaseline and premining geochemical characterization of mined sites
A rational goal for environmental restoration of new, active, or inactive mine sites would be ‘natural background’ or the environmental conditions that existed before any mining activities or other related anthropogenic activities. In a strictly technical sense, there is no such thing as natural background (or entirely non-anthropogenic) existing today because there is no part of the planet earthAuthorsD. Kirk NordstromApplied Geochemistry Special Issue on Environmental geochemistry of modern mining
Environmental geochemistry is an integral part of the mine-life cycle, particularly for modern mining. The critical importance of environmental geochemistry begins with pre-mining baseline characterization and the assessment of environmental risks related to mining, continues through active mining especially in water and waste management practices, and culminates in mine closure. The enhanced signAuthorsRobert R. Seal, D. Kirk Nordstrom - News
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government