# Mineral Powder Extraction by the Natural Drying of Water from the Public Springs in Borsec
## 4 Discussion  
As previously mentioned, Borsec sparkling mineral water has a long history up to today. Its high quality was highly appreciated at the World Exhibit in Wien in 1873 receiving  
Figure 7: SEM electron images of the crystals’ microstructural details with their corresponding element distribution map and the EDS elemental spectra of the milled crystalline crust powders resulting from the water samples: (**a**) Spring 3, (**b**) Spring 5, (**c**) Spring 6, (**d**) Spring 10, and (**e**) Spring 11.  
the title of the Queen of Mineral Water; it also received an Honor Award Diploma at Trieste in 1878 and at the World Exhibit in Paris in 1878. Nowadays, it is found in the Romanian markets under the brand Borsec--The Queen of Mineral Water. The commercially bottled mineral water is exploited from the company's specific springs. They have moderate mineralization and a constant CO2 level making them optimal for daily consumption. The public springs situated in the Borsec town present a higher mineralization having the precise therapeutic indication to be used in short-term, controlled cures [1,4]. The mineral wonder found in the Borsec waters is formed in the deeper geological layers by the reaction of the infiltrated water with the specific minerals. The first (and most representative) aquifer is formed by the underground water mineralized into the dolomitic crystalline shale found on the northwestern side of the depression [4]. The infiltrated water intensively circulates through the rock fissures moved by the fumarole gas-lift generating local eddies facilitating the mineral dissolution. The dolomitic structure enriches the water with Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions. The peat layer situated on the surface ensures a proper filtration of the water, a fact mentioned in the literature [5,6], while the green clay based on chlorite also brings calcium and magnesium ions into the water along with Na+ and K+. The chloride presence is very low, almost at a trace level as reported in [4], and did not appear in the current public declaration. This aquifer is characterized by a high daily flow and average mineralization. This fact is confirmed by the relatively low TDS and salinity observed for S3, S5, and S11. The second aquifer is mineralized by the dolomitic rocks' interactions with the fumarole CO2, which induces the precipitation of calcium carbonate as limestone tuff. These tuff deposits might warp the spring far out from the ground causing frequent changes in their place of surface bursting [4]. This behavior affects the water flow which is moderate to low and presents a decreasing tendency. The springs S6 and S11 fit this typology. The mineralization process also brings Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions into the water along with potassium. The gray-green clay intercalations within the dolomitic crystalline shale ensure the mineralization with alkaline ions such as Na+ and K+. The intercalation of the sedimentary bed with local volcanic rocks such as andesite and pyroclastite ensures a significant level of chloride ions. The low water flow combined with the rich mineralization explains the high TDS and salinity measured for S6 and S10. The elemental composition of the investigated samples obtained by SEM-EDX investigation confirms the S3, S5, and S11 source as the first aquifer and the S6 and S10 source as the second aquifer. The elemental composition of the crystallized powder has a strong resemblance to the public declaration of the composition excepting chloride. We found that all springs have chloride amounts, but the most representative salted spring is S10, a fact sustained by its increased salinity. Both aquifers and their subsequent mineralization method induce dissolved anions and cations in the water, the most representative being CO32-. These ions are sensitive to the water solution concentration.