Cadastre of Mineral, Thermal, and Thermomineral Waters of the FB&H
The Cadastre of Mineral, Thermal, and Thermomineral Waters is a register containing data on all known sources of these waters. Mineral waters have a high content of minerals and other dissolved substances. The cadastre records their geographical location, chemical composition, flow rate, and other characteristics. Thermal waters are those that emerge from deep layers of the Earth and have a higher temperature than the average ambient temperature. The cadastre for thermal waters documents their temperature characteristics, flow, and geological context. Thermomineral waters are a combination of thermal and mineral waters. These waters are warm and rich in minerals. The cadastre tracks specific properties, including their chemical and thermal composition. The cadastre aids in the management of these resources, protection of their quality, and sustainable use. It also serves as an important source of information for research, tourism, and industrial applications.
Thermal, mineral, and thermomineral waters, with their abundance and diversity of hydrochemical types, undoubtedly represent one of the most intriguing geological issues in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and certainly a significant economic potential. The study of these types of groundwater is important for a range of other scientific disciplines: balneology, energy, the study of deposits of metallic and non-metallic mineral raw materials and oil, general and specialized hydrogeology, engineering geology, and others. Proper interpretation of the genesis, hydrogeological mechanisms, chemical composition, and occurrence regimes of these waters allows for the assessment of their utilization possibilities and economic significance. Although their study began as early as 1886, there are still many unanswered questions related to this type of groundwater. Notable works address some phenomena from the perspective of their potential for other uses or highlight other characteristics significant for various disciplines. The complexity of studying these waters primarily stems from their close association with other elements of the geological structure of the terrain. Today, it is clearly understood that these waters are primarily hydrogeological phenomena, or more precisely, geological phenomena. This is justified considering their close connection with the lithological composition, tectonic framework, magmatic phenomena, hydrogeological characteristics of rock masses, and other geological features of the terrain where these waters occur. Given that many unresolved issues still exist in the fundamental elements of the geological structure of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the research of these waters is significantly hindered.