Geothermal/lithium activity at the Salton Sea – pre-Symposium field trip - Thursday Oct 17, 2024

Led by:
Michael A. McKibben, Ph.D.
Research Professor
Dept. Earth and Planetary Sciences
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92531

michael.mckiben@ucr.edu
951 581-5459

 

This will be a group carpool pre-Symposium field trip to visit geothermal and lithium extraction activities near the Salton Sea.  It will begin and end in Niland, CA, located about 70 miles (1.5 hour’s drive) southeast of the Symposium venue at the UCR-Palm Desert Campus.  Travel will be on mixed-quality paved, gravel and dirt roads, with 4-wheel drive not being necessary.  Some rainy/muddy road conditions may be encountered in late October.  Bathroom and lunch stops will be provided.  Bring water, any special diet food needs, sunscreen and water-proof footwear and headwear.  Visits will be made to the following areas:

• Geothermal power plant (pending geothermal company scheduling and approval).

• Geothermal/lithium well drilling site (pending company scheduling and approval).

• Lithium extraction facilities (pending company scheduling an approval).

• World’s largest geothermal production well.

• Receding Salton Sea shoreline and playa.

• Holocene volcanic obsidian domes.

• Mudpot and mud volcano field.

• Sonny Bono wildlife sanctuary.

From Niland, the trip will last approximately 2-3 hours depending on weather and company approvals.  To sign up or ask questions, email Michael McKibben and indicate if you will be driving your own vehicle or will need to carpool with someone. The trip will begin in the morning and finish in time for participants to return to UCR-Palm Desert in the late afternoon.
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