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Are spherulitic lacustrine carbonates an expression of large-scale mineral carbonation? A case study from the East Kirkton Limestone, Scotland.

Rogerson, M. and Mercedes-Martin, R. and Brasier, A.T. and McGill, R.A.R. and Prior, T.J. and Vonhof, H. and Fellows, S.M. and Reijmer, J.J.G. and McClymont, E.L. and Billing, I. and Matthews, A. and Pedley, M. (2017) 'Are spherulitic lacustrine carbonates an expression of large-scale mineral carbonation? A case study from the East Kirkton Limestone, Scotland.', Gondwana research., 48 . pp. 101-109.

Abstract

Lacustrine carbonate deposits with spherulitic facies are poorly understood, but are key to understanding the economically important “Pre-Salt” Mesozoic strata of the South Atlantic. A major barrier to research into these unique and spectacular facies is the lack of good lacustrine spherulite-dominated deposits which are known in outcrop. Stratigraphy and petrography suggest one of the best analogue systems is found in the Carboniferous of Scotland: the East Kirkton Limestone. Here we propose a hydrogeochemical model that explains why the CaCO3, SiO2, Mg-Si-Al mineral suite associated with spherular radial calcite facies forms in alkaline lakes above basaltic bedrock. Demonstrating links between igneous bedrock chemistry, lake and spring water chemistry and mineral precipitation, this model has implications for studies of lacustrine sediments in rift basins of all ages. Using empirical and theoretical approaches, we analyze the relationship between metal mobilization from sub-surface volcaniclastic rocks and the potential for precipitation of carbonate minerals, various Mg-bearing minerals and chalcedony in a lacustrine spherulitic carbonate setting. This suite of minerals is most likely formed by in-gassing of CO2 to a carbon-limited alkaline spring water, consistent with the reaction of alkali igneous rocks in the subsurface with meteoric groundwater. We suggest that an analogous system to that at East Kirkton caused development of the ‘Pre-Salt’ spherulitic carbonate deposits.

Item Type:Article
Full text:(AM) Accepted Manuscript
Available under License - Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives.
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Status:Peer-reviewed
Publisher Web site:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2017.04.007
Publisher statement:© 2017 This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Date accepted:07 April 2017
Date deposited:23 May 2017
Date of first online publication:26 April 2017
Date first made open access:26 April 2018

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