FACTORS INFLUENCING THE MINERALOGY OF CARBONATE SEDIMENTS1

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The mineralogy of carbonate sediments from Campeche Bank and Bermuda has been studied by use of X‐ray diffraction techniques. The sediment mineralogy appears to be mainly controlled by the skeletal mineralogy and size of organisms living locally. Selective physical destruction and transport and selective solution of more soluble skeletal elements appear to exert an influence on sediment mineralogy.Reef and near‐reef sediments contain the largest concentrations of high‐magnesium calcite, largely due to the presence of coralline algae such as Lithothamnium. Lagoonal sediments contain the most aragonite, and also contain abundant fragments of the green algae, Halimeda. Shelf, slope, and deep‐water carbonates are rich in low‐magnesium calcite, probably due to the presence of planktonic Foraminifera and algae.The effects of non‐biological processes on sediment mineralogy can be seen in the distribution of mineralogies among the different size fractions of the sediment. The most prominent feature of this is the regular increase in mineral stability—and associated decrease in mineral solubility—from the coarse to the fine fractions of sediments from a wide range of environments. It appears that in some areas the more soluble mineralogies are dissolved from the fine fractions of the sediments.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: