Interaction in the water-rock system as a new basis for the development of hydrogeology

This paper addresses the main mechanisms controlling the continuous and geologically long evolution of the water-rock system, which produced diverse hydrogenous mineral complexes. The concept of such complexes was introduced by the author. It was shown that the water-rock system is a steady-state and equilibrium-disequilibrium one. Its development occurs in a far from equilibrium region and results in the formation of fundamentally new mineral associations and geochemical types of water. Taking into account that water is the main factor controlling the evolutionary trend of this system, it is argued that this system must be among the most important targets of hydrogeology.