Water-Rock Interaction (WRI) Working Group

Working Group History and Purpose

Water-Rock Interaction (WRI) is an international autonomous working-group interested in the processes that occur as fluids, primarily water, circulate through the Earth's crust and interact with various rock types. The working group investigates both fundamental and applied aspects that produce variations of fluid chemical and isotopic compositions and the mineral transformations resulting from these interactions. 

Typical issues are the thermodynamic and kinetics evaluation of the geochemical processes, the evaluation of diagenetic and hydrothermal processes, evaluation of deep temperatures in geothermal and oil reservoirs, the carbon capture and storage and hydrogen for energy transition, the sustainable management of present and abandoned mine tailings and others.

Initially chaired by the late Prof. Prof. Mikhail G. Valyashko, (Lomonsov State University), the international working group is present in all the continents from more than 50 years. The First International Symposium on Water Rock Interaction (WRI-1) was convened on 1974 in Prague (Czech Republic), with Dr. Tomas Paces as Secretary General. The working group is now managed by a council formed by the former general secretaries that have organised the periodical international meeting. Our meetings associate talks on current challenges and traditional issues with an enjoyable social and cultural programs for the scientists and the accompanying members creating an atmosphere of informality and easy communication among the participants.

Until now scientists who attend one of the meetings quickly get hooked, because WRI has a very contagious spirit, that we define as “water-rock-human interactions.”

Current chair Prof. P. Zuddas (pierpaolo.zuddas@sorbonne-universite.fr)

Water-Rock Interaction Symposia