Chapter 6: Carbonate Sedimentary Rocks

There are two main categories of carbonate rocks:

• Calcite (CaCO3)
• Dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2)
Both Calcite and Dolomite will contain varying amounts of Calcium
and Magnesium. Other elements make up only trace amounts.

Calcite Dolomite
 Calcite Group

Iceland Spar CaCO3

Rhodochrosite
MnCO3
Siderite FeCO3

Smithsonite
Magnesite MgCO3 ZnCO3
 Dolomite Group

Dolomite CaMg(CO3)2 Ankerite Ca(Mg,Fe,Mn)(CO3)2

 Aragonite Group

Aragonite CaCO3

Strontianite SrCO3

Cerussite PbCO3 Witherite BaCO3

 Limestone (composed of primarily CaCO3) textures
Carbonate Grains
• Carbonate clasts (extraclasts & intraclasts--Lithoclasts)
•Extraclast: derived from older limestone located outside the depositional
environment.
•Intraclast: derived from seafloor, adjacent tidal flats or a carbonate beach
•Lithclast: a nonspecific term used when the distinction between extra &
intraclast cannot be made.

• Skeletal particles
• Ooids
• Peloids
• Aggregate Grains
Matrix cements: either sparry calcite or micrite
A: Rounded
clasts cemented
by sparry calcite.
B: Angular clasts
in micrite.
C: Fossiliferous
limestone with
sparry cement.
D: Normal ooids
cemented with
sparry.
E: Radial ooids
cemented with
sparry &
micrite.
F: Pellets
cemented with
sparry.
 Ooid

Aggregate grain (Grapestone)

Microcrystalline calcite (Micrite) versus Sparry calcite
Classification of Carbonate Rocks
Limestone classification based on textures
 Origin of Carbonate Rocks
Limestone:
CO2 + H2O ↔ H2CO3 (carbonic acid)
H2CO3 ↔ H+ + HCO3- (bicarbonate ion)
HCO3- ↔ H+ + CO32- (carbonate ion)
__________
H2O + CO2 + CaCO3 ↔ Ca2+ + 2HCO3-
(where the CaCO3 can be either Calcite or Aragonite)
 Principle factors that affect inorganic precipitation of
CaCO3 in water (Table 6.4 pg. 175)
Water Direction of Directed effect Effect on Kind of
condition change CaCO3 CaCO3
solubility precipitated
Temperature Increase Loss of CO2, More likely to Micrite or
increase in pH precipitate ooids

Pressure Decrease Loss of CO2, More likely to Micrite or

increase in pH precipitate ooids

Salinity Decrease Decrease in More likely to Micrite or

activity of precipitate ooids
“foreign cations”
 Organic activity and CaCO3 precipitation
•Extraction of CaCO3 from water
Growth of shells and tests
•Photosynthesis
Removes CO2 from water, thereby increasing pH.
•Decay of soft tissue
Increases pH of water
•Feeding, sediment ingestion
Reshapes sediment
•Bacterial activity
Promotes CaCO3 precipitation
 Dominate Carbonate
Era Period
Mineral
Neogene-Quaternary A + HMC Calcite versus Aragonite
Ceno-zoic (Aragonite Sea)

Paleogene

Low-magnesian
Cretaceous Calcite (LMC)

(Calcite Sea)
Mesozoic

Jurassic

Aragonite (A) + High-

Triassic magnesian Calcite
(HMC)
Permian
(Aragonite Sea)
Pennsylvanian

Mississippian
Paleozoic

Devonian

Low-magnesian
Silurian
Calcite (LMC)

(Calcite Sea)
Ordovician

Cambrian
Dolomite Classification and Variation
Dolomite formation:
The Dolomite problem….
Scientists have not yet been successful in the laboratory in
precipitation perfectly ordered Dolomite (50% Calcium and 50%
Magnesium) at the normal temperatures and pressures of the Earth’s
surface.

Ca2+(aq) + Mg2+(aq) + 2CO32-(aq) = CaMg(CO3)2(solid)

2CaCO3(solid) + Mg2+(aq) = CaMg(CO3)2(solid) + Ca2+(aq)
Sabkha Environment
Carbonate Diagenesis
Carbonate Diagenesis continued…
Stylolites: a pressure-solution
feature common in carbonate
rocks. These features are often
associated with clay minerals
and other fine-size non-
carbonate minerals that
accumulate as carbonate
minerals dissolve.