Experimental study of the aragonite to calcite transition in aqueous solution

The experimental replacement of aragonite by calcite was studied under hydrothermal conditions at temperatures between 160 and 200 °C using single inorganic aragonite crystals as a starting material. The initial saturation state and the total [Ca²⁺]:[CO₃²⁻] ratio of the experimental solutions was found to have a determining effect on the amount and abundance of calcite overgrowths as well as the extent of replacement observed within the crystals. The replacement process was accompanied by progressive formation of cracks and pores within the calcite, which led to extended fracturing of the initial aragonite. The overall shape and morphology of the parent aragonite crystal were preserved. The replaced regions were identified with scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy.Experiments using carbonate solutions prepared with water enriched in ¹⁸O (97%) were also performed in order to trace the course of this replacement process. The incorporation of the heavier oxygen isotope in the carbonate molecule within the calcite replacements was monitored with Raman spectroscopy. The heterogeneous distribution of ¹⁸O in the reaction products required a separate study of the kinetics of isotopic equilibration within the fluid to obtain a better understanding of the ¹⁸O distribution in the calcite replacement. An activation energy of 109 kJ/mol was calculated for the exchange of oxygen isotopes between [C¹⁶O₃²⁻]_aq and [H₂¹⁸O] and the time for oxygen isotope exchange in the fluid at 200 °C was estimated at ∼0.9 s. Given the exchange rate, analyses of the run products imply that the oxygen isotope composition in the calcite product is partly inherited from the oxygen isotope composition of the aragonite parent during the replacement process and is dependent on access of the fluid to the reaction interface rather than equilibration time. The aragonite to calcite fluid-mediated transformation is described by a coupled dissolution-reprecipitation mechanism, where aragonite dissolution is coupled to the precipitation of calcite at an inwardly moving reaction interface.     

Interatomic potentials for CaCO3 polymorphs (calcite and aragonite), fitted to elastic and vibrational data

Calcite and aragonite have been modeled using rigid-ion, two-body Born-type potentials, supplemented by O-C-O angular terms inside the CO₃ groups. A shell model has also been developed for calcite. Atomic charges, repulsive parameters and force constants have been optimized to reproduce the equilibrium crystal structures, the elastic constants and the Raman and infrared vibrational frequencies. The rigid-ion potential RIM (atomic charges:z _O= -0.995e,z _C = 0.985e,z _Ca = 2.0e) fitted to calcite properties is able to account for those of aragonite as well. Experimental unit-cell edges, elastic constants, internal and lattice frequencies are reproduced with average relative errors of 2.1, 5.5, 2.4, 15.1% for calcite and of 0.2, 19.4, 2.5, 11.8% for aragonite, respectively. The RIM potential is suitable for thermodynamic and phase diagram simulations in the CaCO₃ system, and is discussed and compared to other potentials.     

Calcium isotope fractionation in calcite and aragonite

Calcium isotope fractionation was measured on skeletal aragonite and calcite from different marine biota and on inorganic calcite. Precipitation temperatures ranged from 0 to 28°C. Calcium isotope fractionation shows a temperature dependence in accordance with previous observations: 1000 · ln(α_cc) = −1.4 + 0.021 · T (°C) for calcite and 1000 · ln(α_ar) = −1.9 + 0.017 · T (°C) for aragonite. Within uncertainty the temperature slopes are identical for the two polymorphs. However, at all temperatures calcium isotopes are more fractionated in aragonite than in calcite. The offset in δ^44/40Ca is about 0.6‰. The underlying mechanism for this offset may be related to the different coordination numbers and bond strengths of the calcium ions in calcite and aragonite crystals, or to different Ca reaction behavior at the solid-liquid interface. Recently, the observed temperature dependence of the Ca isotope fractionation was explained quantitatively by the temperature control on precipitation rates of calcium carbonates in an experimental setting (Lemarchand et al., 2004). We show that this mechanism can in principle also be applied to CaCO₃ precipitation in natural environments in normal marine settings. Following this model, Ca isotope fractionation in marine Ca carbonates is primarily controlled by precipitation rates. On the other hand the larger Ca isotope fractionation of aragonite compared to calcite can not be explained by different precipitation rates. The rate control model of Ca isotope fractionation predicts a strong dependence of the Ca isotopic composition of carbonates on ambient CO₃²⁻ concentration. While this model is in general accordance with our observations in marine carbonates, cultured specimens of the planktic foraminifer Orbulina universa show no dependence of Ca-isotope fractionation on the ambient CO₃²⁻ concentration. The latter observation implies that the carbonate chemistry in the calcifying vesicles of the foraminifer is independent from the ambient carbonate ion concentration of the surrounding water.     

Raman spectroscopic studies of carbonates part I: High-pressure and high-temperature behaviour of calcite,magnesite, dolomite and aragonite

The room-temperature Raman spectra of aragonite, magnesite and dolomite have been recorded up to 30 GPa and 25 GPa, respectively and no phase changes were observed during compression, unlike calcite. The effect of temperature on the room-pressure Raman spectra of calcite, aragonite, magnesite and dolomite is reported up to 800–1100 K. The measured relative pressure and temperature-shifts of the Raman lines are greater for the lattice modes than for the internal modes of the CO₃ groups. These shifts are used to calculate the mode anharmonic parameters of the observed Raman modes; they are negative and their absolute values are smaller (close to 0) for the internal CO₃ modes than for the lattice modes (4–17 10^?5 K^?1). The temperature shifts of the lattice modes in calcite are considerably larger than those for dolomite and magnesite, and a marked non-linear increase in linewidth is observed above 400° C for calcite. This is consistent with an increasing relaxational component to the libration of the CO₃ groups about their threefold axes, premonitory to the rotational order-disorder transition at higher temperature. This behaviour is not observed for the other calcite structured minerals in this study. We examine systematic variations in the lattice mode frequencies and linewidths with composition, to begin to understand these differences in their anharmonic behaviour. Finally, we have used a simple Debye-Waller model to calculate atomic displacements in calcite, magnesite and dolomite with increasing temperature from the vibrational frequency data, to provide a direct comparison with atomic positional data from high-temperature structure refinements.     

The role of sulfate groups in controlling CaCO3 polymorphism

The nucleation and growth of CaCO₃ phases from aqueous solutions with SO₄²⁻:CO₃²⁻ ratios from 0 to 1.62 and a pH of ∼10.9 were studied experimentally in batch reactors at 25 °C. The mineralogy, morphology and composition of the precipitates were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and microanalyses. The solids recovered after short reaction times (5 min to 1 h) consisted of a mixture of calcite and vaterite, with a S content that linearly correlates with the SO₄²⁻:CO₃²⁻ ratio in the aqueous solution. The solvent-mediated transformation of vaterite to calcite subsequently occurred. After 24 h of equilibration, calcite was the only phase present in the precipitate for aqueous solutions with SO₄²⁻:CO₃²⁻ ? 1. For SO₄²⁻:CO₃²⁻ > 1, vaterite persisted as a major phase for a longer time (>250 h for SO₄²⁻:CO₃²⁻ = 1.62). To study the role of sulfate in stabilizing vaterite, we performed a molecular simulation of the substitution of sulfate for carbonate groups into the crystal structure of vaterite, aragonite and calcite. The results obtained show that the incorporation of small amounts (<3 mole%) of sulfate is energetically favorable in the vaterite structure, unfavorable in calcite and very unfavorable in aragonite. The computer modeling provided thermodynamic information, which, combined with kinetic arguments, allowed us to put forward a plausible explanation for the observed crystallization behavior.     

The effect of cobalt ion on nucleation of calcium-carbonate polymorphs

Cobalt, like Mg, may cause the precipitation of aragonite rather than calcite in aqueous solutions due to the adsorption and crystal poisoning of calcite by a hydrated ion. Solutions containing NaCl and CaCl₂, having the ionic strength and Ca content of seawater (35‰ salinity), were spiked with known amounts of CoCl₂. Calcium carbonate was precipitated by the addition of 0.7 ml of 1 M Na₂CO₃. All experimental runs were made at 25°C, and all products were examined by X-ray diffraction. At low concentrations of Co (< 5·^?4M) calcite and vaterite formed. At concentrations from 5·10^?4 M to 2·10^?3M, the products consisted of combinations of calcite and vaterite; aragonite and calcite; aragonite and vaterite; calcite, vaterite and aragonite. In solutions of 3·10^?3M CoCl₂, most precipitates were aragonite with only one sample containing a small amount of calcite. All precipitates from 5·10^?3M CoCl₂ solutions either contained aragonite or were amorphous. Solutions with concentrations of 1 · 10^?2M CoCl₂ produced only amorphous precipitates. All precipitates contained an amorphous violet phase, assumed to be basic cobaltous carbonate (2CoCO₃·Co(OH)₂·H₂O).     

'Forbidden zone' subduction of sediments to 150 km depth— the reaction of dolomite to magnesite + aragonite in the UHPM metapelites from western Tianshan, China

The solid‐state reaction magnesite (MgCO₃) + calcite (aragonite) (CaCO₃) = dolomite (CaMg(CO₃)₂) has been identified in metapelites from western Tianshan, China. Petrological studies show that two metamorphic stages are recorded in the metapelites: (1) the peak mineral assemblage of magnesite and calcite pseudomorphs after aragonite which is only preserved as inclusions within dolomite; and (2) the retrograde glaucophane‐chloritoid facies mineral assemblage of glaucophane, chloritoid, dolomite, garnet, paragonite, chlorite and quartz. The peak metamorphic temperatures and pressures are calculated to be 560–600 °C, 4.95–5.07 GPa based on the calcite–dolomite geothermometer and the equilibrium calculation of the reaction dolomite = magnesite + aragonite, respectively. These give direct evidence in UHP metamorphic rocks from Tianshan, China, that carbonate sediments were subducted to greater than 150 km depth. This UHP metamorphism represents a geotherm lower than any previously estimated for subduction metamorphism (< 3.7 °C km^?1) and is within what was previously considered a ‘forbidden’ condition within Earth. In terms of the carbon cycle, this demonstrates that carbonate sediments can be subducted to at least 150 km depth without releasing significant CO₂ to the overlying mantle wedge.     

室温条件下青海湖水中镁离子浓度对沉淀碳酸钙同质多像类型的调控

青海湖是我国唯一报道过的现代湖底沉积物中白云石、方解石和文石等多种碳酸盐矿物共存的高原内陆咸水湖泊。以青海湖水和除菌青海湖水作为载体,以CaCl_2和MgCl_2·6 H_2O作为反应原料,在实验室常温条件下采取控制变量法制备出不同浓度Mg~(2+)参与下的钙质沉淀物,探讨Mg~(2+)浓度对沉淀物类型的影响。仅添加CaCl_2时,青海湖水中的沉淀物主要是石膏(Ca SO_4·2 H_2O)和球霰石(CaCO_3);在添加CaCl_2的同时添加MgCl_2·6 H_2O,沉淀物的石膏消失,完全转变成碳酸盐矿物,包括方解石和球霰石;当湖水中Mg~(2+)浓度为0.62 mol/L时,球霰石消失,沉淀物变为方解石和文石;随着Mg~(2+)浓度继续升高,文石含量稳步增加,方解石含量则逐渐减少,当Mg~(2+)浓度达到1.22 mol/L或更高时,方解石全部消失,沉淀物仅剩文石。实验结果表明,青海湖水中较高浓度的SO_4~(2-)对碳酸钙晶体生长有抑制作用,而额外加入的Mg~(2+)可以解除SO_4~(2-)的抑制作用,使得Ca~(2+)与HCO_3~-和CO_3~(2-)结合形成碳酸钙。此外,碳酸钙的同质多像类型也明显受到Mg~(2+)浓度的控制,随着湖水中Mg~(2+)浓度增加,方解石、球霰石不再稳定,而文石逐渐占主导地位,当Mg/Ca值达到6.1时,反应产物中仅有文石稳定存在。     

碳酸钙矿物低温化学合成及其同质多象转变矿物学机理研究

通过缓慢分解Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-HCO₃^--Cl^--H₂O溶液和以菱锶矿(或碳钡矿、白铅矿)为晶种的附晶生长法,在0-90℃温度范围内定向合成了碳酸钙同质多象变体.矿物合成实验结果表明,随着温度升高,有利于亚稳态文石和不稳定六方方解石的生成;随着溶液中Mg²⁺离子浓度增大和Ca(HCO₃)₃溶液浓度减小,均有利于亚稳态文石的形成.以XRD和SEM技术为实验手段,详细研究了碳酸钙同质多象转变过程.结果显示:在流体参与的情况下,文石→方解石和六方方解石→方解石的同质多象转变速率很快,并且其转变的矿物学机理为溶解/再沉淀.     

Thermodynamic properties of CaCO3 calcite and aragonite: A quasi-harmonic calculation

A quasi-harmonic model has been used to simulate the thermodynamic behaviour of the CaCO₃ polymorphs, by equilibrating their crystal structures as a function of temperature so as to balance the sum of inner static and thermal pressures against the applied external pressure. The vibrational frequencies and elastic properties needed have been computed using interatomic potentials based on two-body Born-type functions, with O-C-O angular terms to account for covalency inside the CO₃ molecular ion. A good agreement with experimental data is generally shown by simulated heat capacity and entropy, while the thermal expansion coefficient seems to be more difficult to reproduce. The results obtained for aragonite are less satisfactory than those of calcite, but they are improved by using a potential specifically optimized on properties of that phase itself.     

Tracing high-pressure metamorphism in marbles: Phase relations in high-grade aluminous calcite–dolomite marbles from the Greek Rhodope massif in the system CaO–MgO–Al2O3–SiO2–CO2 and indications of prior aragonite

Four different types of parageneses of the minerals calcite, dolomite, diopside, forsterite, spinel, amphibole (pargasite), (Ti–)clinohumite and phlogopite were observed in calcite–dolomite marbles collected in the Kimi-Complex of the Rhodope Metamorphic Province (RMP). The presence of former aragonite can be inferred from carbonate inclusions, which, in combination with an analysis of phase relations in the simplified system CaO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–CO₂ (CMAS–CO₂) show that the mineral assemblages preserved in these marbles most likely equilibrated at the aragonite–calcite transition, slightly below the coesite stability field, at ca. 720 °C, 25 kbar and a_CO2 ~ 0.01. The thermodynamic model predicts that no matter what activity of CO₂, garnet has to be present in aluminous calcite–dolomite-marble at UHP conditions.     

How do mineral coatings affect dissolution rates? An experimental study of coupled CaCO3 dissolution—CdCO3 precipitation

Coupled CaCO₃ dissolution-otavite (CdCO₃) precipitation experiments have been performed to 1) quantify the effect of mineral coatings on dissolution rates, and 2) to explore the possible application of this coupled process to the remediation of polluted waters. All experiments were performed at 25°C in mixed-flow reactors. Various CaCO₃ solids were used in the experiments including calcite, aragonite, and ground clam, mussel, and cockle shells. Precipitation was induced by the presence of Cd(NO₃)₂ in the inlet solution, which combined with aqueous carbonate liberated by CaCO₃ dissolution to supersaturate otavite. The precipitation of an otavite layer of less than 0.01 μm in thickness on calcite surfaces decreases its dissolution rate by close to two orders of magnitude. This decrease in calcite dissolution rates lowers aqueous carbonate concentrations in the reactor such that the mixed-flow reactor experiments attain a steady-state where the reactive fluid is approximately in equilibrium with otavite, arresting its precipitation. In contrast, otavite coatings are far less efficient in lowering aragonite, and ground clam, mussel, and cockle shell dissolution rates, which are comprised primarily of aragonite. A steady-state is only attained after the precipitation of an otavite layer of 3-10 μm thick; the steady state CaCO₃ dissolution rate is 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than that in the absence of otavite coatings. The difference in behavior is interpreted to stem from the relative crystallographic structures of the dissolving and precipitating minerals. As otavite is isostructural with respect to calcite, it precipitates by epitaxial growth directly on the calcite, efficiently slowing dissolution. In contrast, otavite’s structure is appreciably different from that of aragonite. Thus, it will precipitate by random three dimensional heterogeneous nucleation, leaving some pore space at the otavite-aragonite interface. This pore space allows aragonite dissolution to continue relatively unaffected by thin layers of precipitated otavite. Due to the inefficiency of otavite coatings to slow aragonite and ground aragonite shell dissolution, aragonite appears to be a far better Cd scavenging material for cleaning polluted waste waters.     

Dissolved carbon in pore waters from the carbonate barrier reef of Tahiti (French Polynesia) and its basalt basement

This paper deals with dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and organic carbon (DOC) in pore waters from a 150 m deep hole drilled through the carbonate barrier reef of Tahiti and its underlying basalt basement. Alkalinity-pH measurements were used to calculate the DIC species concentration, and DOC was analysed according to the high temperature catalytic oxidation technique. Salinity was used as a conservative tracer to help identify water origin and mixing within the hole. Water mixing, calcium carbonate dissolution and mineralization of organic carbon combined to form three distinct groups of pore water. In the deeper basalt layers, pore water with alkalinity of 1.4 meq kg^?1 pH of 7.6 and p(CO₂) of 1.2 mAtm was undersaturated with respect to both aragonite and calcite. In the intermediate carbonate layer, pore water with alkalinity of more than 2.0 meq kg^?1, pH of 7.70 and p(CO₂) of 1.4 mAtm was supersaturated with respect to both aragonite and calcite. The transition zone between those two groups extended between 80 and 100 m depth. The shift from aragonite undersaturation to supersaturation was mainly attributed to the mixing of undersaturated pore waters from the basalt basement with supersaturated pore waters from the overlaying limestone. In the top of the reef, inputs from a brackish water lens further increased p(CO₂) up to 5.6 times the atmospheric P(CO₂).     

Dissolved carbon in pore waters from the carbonate barrier reef of Tahiti (French Polynesia) and its basalt basement

This paper deals with dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and organic carbon (DOC) in pore waters from a 150 m deep hole drilled through the carbonate barrier reef of Tahiti and its underlying basalt basement. Alkalinity-pH measurements were used to calculate the DIC species concentration, and DOC was analysed according to the high temperature catalytic oxidation technique. Salinity was used as a conservative tracer to help identify water origin and mixing within the hole. Water mixing, calcium carbonate dissolution and mineralization of organic carbon combined to form three distinct groups of pore water. In the deeper basalt layers, pore water with alkalinity of 1.4 meq kg^–1 pH of 7.6 and p(CO₂) of 1.2 mAtm was undersaturated with respect to both aragonite and calcite. In the intermediate carbonate layer, pore water with alkalinity of more than 2.0 meq kg^–1, pH of 7.70 and p(CO₂) of 1.4 mAtm was supersaturated with respect to both aragonite and calcite. The transition zone between those two groups extended between 80 and 100 m depth. The shift from aragonite undersaturation to supersaturation was mainly attributed to the mixing of undersaturated pore waters from the basalt basement with supersaturated pore waters from the overlaying limestone. In the top of the reef, inputs from a brackish water lens further increased p(CO₂) up to 5.6 times the atmospheric P(CO₂).     

Adsorption and Desorption of Phosphate on Calcite and Aragonite in Seawater

The adsorption and desorption of phosphate on calcite and aragonite were investigated as a function of temperature (5–45 °C)and salinity (0–40) in seawater pre-equilibrated with CaCO₃. An increase in temperature increased the equilibrium adsorption; whereas an increase in salinity decreased the adsorption. Adsorption measurements made in NaCl were lower than the results in seawater. The higher values in seawater were due to the presence of Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ ions. The increase was 5 times greater for Ca²⁺ than Mg²⁺. The effects ofCa²⁺ and Mg²⁺ are diminished with the addition of SO₄ ^2- apparently due to the formation of MgSO₄ and CaSO₄ complexes in solution and/or SO₄ ^2- adsorption on the surface of CaCO₃. The adsorbed Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ on CaCO₃ (at carbonate sites) may act as bridges to PO₄ ^3- ions. The bridging effect of Ca²⁺is greater than Mg²⁺ apparently due to the stronger interactions of Ca²⁺ with PO₄ ^3-.The apparent effect of salinity on the adsorption of PO₄ was largely due to changes in the concentration of HCO₃ ^- in the solutions. An increase in the concentration of HCO₃ ^- caused the adsorption of phosphate to decrease, especially at low salinities. The adsorption at the same level of HCO₃ ^- (2 mM) was nearly independent of salinity. All of the adsorption measurements were modeled empirically using a Langmuir-type adsorption isotherm[ [PO₄]_ad = K_mC_m[PO₄]_T/(1 +K_m [PO₄]_T) , ]where [PO₄]_ad and [PO₄]_T are the adsorbed and total dissolved phosphate concentrations, respectively. The values of C_m (the maximum monolayer adsorption capacity, (mol/g) and K_m (the adsorption equilibrium constant, g/(mol) over the entire temperature (t, °C) and salinity (S) range were fitted to[ C_m = 17.067 + 0.1707t - 0.4693S + 0.0082S² ( = 0.7) ][ ln K_m = - 2.412 + 0.0165t - 0.0004St - 0.0008S² ( = 0.1) ]These empirical equations reproduce all of our measurements of[PO₄]_ad up to 14 mol/g and within ±0.7 mol/g.The kinetic data showed that the phosphate uptake on carbonate minerals appears to be a multi-step process. Both the adsorption and desorption were quite fast in the first stage (less than 30 min) followed by a much slower process (lasting more than 1 week). Our results indicate that within 24 hours aragonite has a higher sorption capacity than calcite. The differences between calcite and aragonite become smaller with time. Consequently, the mineral composition of the sediments may affect the short-term phosphate adsorption and desorption on calcium carbonate. Up to 80 % of the adsorbed phosphate is released from calcium carbonate over one day. The amount of PO₄ left on the CaCO₃ is close to the equilibrium adsorption. The release of PO₄ from calcite is faster than from aragonite. Measurements with Florida Bay sediments produced results between those for calcite and aragonite. Our results indicate that the calcium carbonate can be both a sink and source of phosphate in natural waters.     

Isotopic fractionations associated with phosphoric acid digestion of carbonate minerals: Insights from first-principles theoretical modeling and clumped isotope measurements

Phosphoric acid digestion has been used for oxygen- and carbon-isotope analysis of carbonate minerals since 1950, and was recently established as a method for carbonate ‘clumped isotope’ analysis. The CO₂ recovered from this reaction has an oxygen isotope composition substantially different from reactant carbonate, by an amount that varies with temperature of reaction and carbonate chemistry. Here, we present a theoretical model of the kinetic isotope effects associated with phosphoric acid digestion of carbonates, based on structural arguments that the key step in the reaction is disproportionation of H₂CO₃ reaction intermediary. We test that model against previous experimental constraints on the magnitudes and temperature dependences of these oxygen isotope fractionations, and against new experimental determinations of the fractionation of ¹³C-¹⁸O-containing isotopologues (‘clumped’ isotopic species). Our model predicts that the isotope fractionations associated with phosphoric acid digestion of carbonates at 25 °C are 10.72‰, 0.220‰, 0.137‰, 0.593‰ for, respectively, ¹⁸O/¹⁶O ratios (1000 lnα^∗) and three indices that measure proportions of multiply-substituted isotopologues . We also predict that oxygen isotope fractionations follow the mass dependence exponent, λ of 0.5281 (where ). These predictions compare favorably to independent experimental constraints for phosphoric acid digestion of calcite, including our new data for fractionations of ¹³C-¹⁸O bonds (the measured change in Δ₄₇ = 0.23‰) during phosphoric acid digestion of calcite at 25 °C.We have also attempted to evaluate the effect of carbonate cation compositions on phosphoric acid digestion fractionations using cluster models in which disproportionating H₂CO₃ interacts with adjacent cations. These models underestimate the magnitude of isotope fractionations and so must be regarded as unsucsessful, but do reproduce the general trend of variations and temperature dependences of oxygen isotope acid digestion fractionations among different carbonate minerals. We suggest these results present a useful starting point for future, more sophisticated models of the reacting carbonate/acid interface. Examinations of these theoretical predictions and available experimental data suggest cation radius is the most important factor governing the variations of isotope fractionation among different carbonate minerals. We predict a negative correlation between acid digestion fractionation of oxygen isotopes and of ¹³C-¹⁸O doubly-substituted isotopologues, and use this relationship to estimate the acid digestion fractionation of for different carbonate minerals. Combined with previous theoretical evaluations of ¹³C-¹⁸O clumping effects in carbonate minerals, this enables us to predict the temperature calibration relationship for different carbonate clumped isotope thermometers (witherite, calcite, aragonite, dolomite and magnesite), and to compare these predictions with available experimental determinations. The success of our models in capturing several of the features of isotope fractionation during acid digestion supports our hypothesis that phosphoric acid digestion of carbonate minerals involves disproportionation of transition state structures containing H₂CO₃.     

Geochemical processes,evidence and thermodynamic behavior of dissolved and precipitated carbonate minerals in a modern seawater/freshwater mixing zone of a small tropical island

The geochemical processes and thermodynamic behavior of dissolved and precipitated carbonate minerals controlling the hydrochemistry of an aquifer in the seawater/freshwater mixing zone of a small island are identified. Field and laboratory analyses, geochemical modeling (PHREEQC) and multivariate statistical analysis (MSA) provide a quantitative interpretation for the geochemistry of the carbonate-dominated aquifer. Geochemical analyses and modeling results show that dissolution and re-precipitation of CaCO₃ are the prevalent processes governing geochemical reactions in the mixing zone. Furthermore, this was confirmed by coherent statistical output that incorporates Principle Component Analysis (PCA) and k-means Cluster Analysis (k-CA). Generally, the composition of the lowland sandy soil was rather homogeneous and was primarily composed of quartz, aragonite, calcite and Mg-calcite. Thermodynamic model calculations indicate that the carbonate minerals calcite, aragonite and dolomite are supersaturated in the mixing zone. Nevertheless, Powder X-ray Diffraction (PXRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) examination verified the occurrence of low-Mg-calcite (LMC) and the absence of dolomite, attributed to thermodynamic/kinetic hindrance, cation disorder and the presence of dolomite crystal growth rate inhibitors (such as SO₄). The results suggest that dissolution of aragonite and precipitation of LMC drives the solid phase geochemistry in the small tropical island aquifer.     

P CO2 in low-grade metamorphism; zeolite,carbonate, clay mineral,prehnite relations in the system CaO-Al2O3-SiO2-CO2-H2O

Equilibria for several reactions in the system CaO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂-CO₂-H₂O have been calculated from the reactions calcite+quartz=wollastonite+CO₂ (5) and calcite+Al₂SiO₅+quartz=anorthite+CO₂ (19) and other published experimental studies of equilibria in the systems Al₂O₃-SiO₂-H₂O and CaO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂-H₂O.The calculations indicate that the reactions laumontite+CO₂=calcite+kaolinite+2 quartz+2H₂O (1) and laumontite+calcite=prehnite+quartz+3H₂O+CO₂ (3) in the system CaO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂-CO₂-H₂O, are in equilibrium with an H₂O-CO₂ fluid phase having -0.0075 for P _fluid=P _total=2000 bars.These calculations limit the stability of zeolite assemblages to low p CO₂.Using the above reactions as model equilibria, several probelms of p CO₂ in low grade metamorphism are discussed. (a) the problem of producing zeolitic minerals from metasedimentary assemblages of carbonate, clay mineral, quartz. (b) the significance of calcite (or aragonite) associated with zeolite (or lawsonite) in low grade metamorphism and hydrothermal alteration. (c) the reaction of zeolites (or lawsonite) with calcite (or aragonite) to produce dense Ca-Al-hydrosilicates (eg. prehnite, zoisite, grossular).     

Theoretical calculation of oxygen isotope fractionation factors in carbonate systems

Using established methods of statistical mechanical calculation and a recent compilation of vibrational frequency data, we have computed oxygen isotope reduced partition function ratios (β values) for a large number of carbonate minerals. The oxygen isotope β values of carbonates are inversely correlated to both the mass and radius of the cation bonded to the carbonate anion but neither correlation is good enough to be used as a precise and accurate predictor of β values. There is an approximately 0.6% relative increase in the β values of aragonite per 10 kbar increase in pressure. These estimates of the pressure effect on β values are broadly similar to those deduced previously for calcite using the methods of mineral physics. In comparing the β values of our study with those derived recently from first-principles lattice dynamics calculations, we find near-perfect agreement for calcite and witherite (<0.3% deviation), reasonable agreement for dolomite (<0.9% deviation) and somewhat poorer agreement for aragonite and magnesite (1.5-2% deviation). In the system for which we have the most robust constraints, CO₂-calcite, there is excellent agreement between our calculations and experimental data over a broad range of temperatures (0-900 °C). Similarly, there is good to excellent correspondence between calculation and experiment for most other low to moderate atomic mass carbonate minerals (aragonite to strontianite). The agreement is not as good for high atomic mass carbonates (witherite, cerussite, otavite). In the case of witherite and cerussite, the discrepancy may be due, in part, to our calculation methodology, which does not account for the effect of cation mass on the magnitude of vibrational frequency shifts associated with heavy isotope substitution. However, the calculations also reveal an incompatibility between the high- and low-temperature experimental datasets for witherite and cerussite. Specifically, the shapes of fractionation factor versus 1/T² curves in the calcite-witherite and calcite-cerussite systems do not conform to the robust constraints on the basic shape of these curves provided by theory. This suggests that either the high- or low-temperature datasets for both minerals is in error. Dolomite-calcite fractionation factors derived from our calculations fall within the wide range of fractionations for this system given by previous experimental and natural sample studies. However, our compilation of available low-temperature (25-80 °C) experimental data reveal an unusual temperature dependence of fractionations in this system; namely, the data indicate an increase in the magnitude of fractionations between dolomite (or proto-dolomite) and calcite with increasing temperature. Such a trend is incompatible with theory, which stipulates that fractionations between carbonate minerals must decrease monotonically with increasing temperature. We propose that the anomalous temperature dependence seen in the low-temperature experimental data reflect changes in the crystallinity and degree of cation ordering of the dolomite phase over this temperature interval and the effect these changes have on the vibrational frequencies of dolomite. Similar effects may be present in natural systems at low-temperature and must be considered in applying experimental or theoretical fractionation data to these systems. In nearly all cases, carbonate mineral-calcite fractionation factors given by the present calculations are in as good or better agreement with experimental data than are fractionations derived from semi-empirical bond strength methods.     

Carbonate weathering and connate seawater influencing karst groundwaters in the Gevas–Gurpinar–Güzelsu basins,Turkey

There are 59 springs at the Gevas–Gurp?nar–Güzelsu basins, 38 of these springs emerge from the fractured karst aquifers (recrystallized limestone and travertine) and 21 emerge from the Yuksekova ophiolites, K?rkgeçit formation and alluvium. The groundwater samples collected from 38 out of the total of 59 springs, two streams, one lake and 12 wells were analyzed physico-chemically in the year 2002. EC and TDS values of groundwater increased from the marble (high altitude) to the ophiolites and alluvium (toward Lake Van) as a result of carbonate dissolution and connate seawater. Five chemical types of groundwater are identified: Ca–Mg–HCO₃, Mg–Ca–HCO₃, Mg–Na–HCO₃, Na–Ca–HCO₃ and Mg–Ca–Na–HCO₃. The calculations and hydrochemical interpretations show that the high concentrations of Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺ and HCO₃ ^? as predominant ions in the waters are mainly attributed to carbonate rocks and high pCO₂ in soil. Most of the karst springs are oversaturated in calcite, aragonite and dolomite and undersaturated in gypsum, halite and anhydrite. The water–rock interaction processes that singly or in combination influence the chemical composition of each water type include dissolution of carbonate (calcite and dolomite), calcite precipitation, cation exchange and freshening of connate seawater. These processes contribute considerably to the concentration of major ions in the groundwater. Stable isotope contents of the groundwater suggest mainly direct integrative recharge.