NaturalweakacidicgroundwateroccursintheunconfinedandconfinedaquifersconsistingofQuaternaryandNeogeneunconsolidatedsedimentsnearBeihaiinsouthernGuangxi,China.UndernaturalconditionsthegroundwaterhaslowTDS(lessthan200mgL-1)andlowconcentrationsoftraceelements(lessthan100μgL-1)withadeceasingtendincontentsoftheLanthanides(rareearthelements,lessthan1μgL-1)towardshigheratomicnumber.ThegroundwaterrangesinpHfrom3.33to7.0withanaveragevalueof5.12(evenlowerthanthatoflocalrainwater,5.88).pHvaluesinthegroundwaterareabithigherinrainyseasonsthanthoseindryseasonsanddonotshowsignificantincreasingordecreasingtrendwithtime.TheaveragepHvalueingroundwaterintheconfinedaquifersisevenabitlowerthanthatintheunconfinedaquifer.ComprehensiveanalysesofthegroundwaterenvironmentsuggestthatH+inthegroundwatermaybederivedfromdissociationofH2CO3,releaseoftheabsorbedH3O+inclaylayersandtheacidityofrainwater.TheH2CO3inthegroundwatermaybeformedbydissolutionofCO2(g).Mineralsintheunconsolidatedsedimentarepredominatedbyquartzwithsmallamountofclayminerals.Thesedimentsundergoingalong-termweatheringcontainlowlevelsofsolubleconstitutes.Lackofalkalinesubstancesinthegroundwatersystemisalsohelpfulintheaccumulationofacidityofthegroundwater.
