Potapov V.V1., Serdan A.A.2

1Research geotechnological center of Far East Division of Russian Academy of Sciences,
Petropavlovsk-Kamhatsky, Severo-Vostochnoe shosse, 30 post box 56,
tel.: (41522) 92639, fax: (41522) 51323, e-mail: vadim_p@inbox.ru
2Moscow State University e-mail: cerdan@petrol.chem.msu.ru

The processes of silica polymerization, coagulation and precipitation in hydrothermal solution of Mutnovskoyoe field were researched. The order of the reaction of silicic acid polymerization in solution and constants of the reaction rate were determined, the sizes of the colloidal particles of polymerized silica were measured. The experiments on colloidal silica coagulation and precipitation by addition to the solution of metal cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Al3+, Fe3+) were carried out. The critical concentration of metal cations at the temperature of 20 and 960 C was determined, sorption ability of the silica surface to the different metal cations was investigated, surface electric charge of the colloidal particles was evaluated. Silica stability and mechanism of coagulation and precipitation of colloidal silica in hydrothermal solution were investigated.