Diagenetisch gebildeter Magnesit und Dolomit in den Grödener Schichten des Dobratsch im Gailtal,Kärnten — österreich

Dolomite, magnesite, calcite and aragonite are described from sandstones and conglomerates of the Grödener Schichten of the Dobratsch in the Gailtal Alps, Carinthia — Austria. The carbonates occur as early and late diagenetic cements, as recrystallized matrix of more or less laminated carbonate layers (up to 0.5 m thick), as concretions, as fillings of early diagenetic shrinkage cracks and late diagenetic fissures and as crystals in open cavities and clefts. The formation of dolomite and magnesite may have been caused by pore solutions highly enriched in magnesium, which are likely to have formed by evaporation in a hypersaline environment. Magnesite and dolomite most probably have been formed diagenetically from aragonite and/or calcite during progressive evaporation cycles. Because of magnesite is a common constituent in Permo-Scythian sediments of the Eastern Alps, its presence is of importance for the evaluation of the environment. Additionally the wide-spread occurrence of magnesite within these post variscian sediments has important implications regarding the paleogeographical reconstruction and the evaluation of diagenetic processes.