Spatial and compositional variations within finely laminated mineral crusts at Carpenter's Gap,an archaeological site in tropical Australia

Mineralogical and geochemical variations in ten rock surface crusts are described from a large rock shelter known as Carpenter's Gap 1 in the southern Kimberley, formed at the junction between a sandstone floor and an overlying limestone roof. The finely laminated crusts, containing quartz, clays, oxalate and phosphate minerals, and sulfate salts (bassanite, gypsum, epsomite), formed over quartz‐rich sandstones. Mineralogical analyses of crusts, determined by X‐ray diffraction, and major element geochemical trends, in the form of element maps of cross sections, show a complex distribution of hemi‐, mono‐, and dihydrated sulfate and oxalate minerals vertically and laterally within the shelter. These mineralogical changes have occurred under fluctuating moisture and temperature regimes, which follow a general drying trend spatially with distance from the back wall and temporally over a period of about 20,000 years. Documenting these mineralogical changes is a first step in understanding the nature of microclimatic controls on the formation of rock surface coatings in shelters and their implications for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions and for dating engravings covered by these crusts. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Morphology and mineralogy of weathering crusts on highly porous oolitic limestones, a case study from Budapest

Black crusts are very common on limestones in polluted urban environments, but white crusts are less frequently developed. On the soft, porous and inherently weak oolitic limestone of Budapest both crusts are frequent, and indeed white ones are more common on the stone walls of the studied fortress. In this paper, black and white crusts and the host rock have been described using morphological criteria, mineralogical analyses (XRD, DTA), elements analyses (microprobe) and micro-morphological (SEM) tests. The analyses have shown that on white crusts the surface dissolution is combined with the precipitation of gypsum and calcite in the pores and accumulation of gypsum on the underside of the crust. Thin white crusts are removed by a combination of salt crystallisation (gypsum) and frost action while very thick stone layers scale off due to freeze-thaw cycles. Black crusts are enriched in gypsum relative to white crusts. Gypsum accumulates on the crust surface and signs of dissolution have not been observed. Airborne particulates (flyash, silt-sized quartz, and organic debris) adhere to the crust surface of sheltered black crusts. These particles are later incorporated into the expanding gypsum crystals, that are visible on the underside of the crust. The host rock also contains gypsum, but it is washed off the surface when the crust is removed. Further exposure of the host rock may lead to the dissolution of calcite crystals as it is observed by SEM. The micro-environment influences the crust formation and adherence of the crusts. On frequently wet and dry surfaces crust removal is more common. The crust serves as a protective layer on the stone surface, but this protection is temporary since trigger mechanisms such as salt crystallisation or frost action can cause rapid surface loss.Special Issue: Stone decay hazards     

Production of oxalates In Vitro by Microbes Isolated from Rock Surfaces with prehistoric paints in the Lower Pecos Region,Texas

Calcium oxalate‐rich rock coatings are ubiquitous on limestone inside dry rock shelters and under bluff overhangs along canyon walls in southwestern Texas. Prehistoric pictographs occur in more than 250 such sites, and the ancient paints are encapsulated within the natural rock coating. Previous studies suggest lichens were the source of the oxalate; however, we report here that microbes cultured and isolated from samples of the coating produce oxalate in vitro. Twenty different bacteria species have been identified in samples from eight different sites, with Bacillus the most common genus, represented by five species. HPLC analyses of inoculated R2B medium after eight months of bacterial growth revealed the presence of oxalate ions in the solid phase of the growth medium. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

发育完整的灰岩风化壳及其矿物学和地球化学特征

对于碳酸盐岩土覆土壤成因、尽管碳酸盐岩风化残积成土说被多数学者认同,但由于碳酸盐岩中酸不溶物含量极低,在风化成土过程中会伴随着巨大的体积缩小变化,原岩结构和半风化带无法保留,从而缺失了探索上覆土壤物质来源的重要中间环节,使得这种观点缺乏野外宏观证据的支持。最近,我们在贵州、湖南等地发现了数个以泥质灰岩和泥质白云岩为基岩的碳酸盐岩风化壳剖面,尚保留有较好的原岩结构,具有明显的风化壳分带和过渡现象。这些风化壳剖面的发现为深入研究碳酸盐岩风化成土过程提供了良好的研究场所。本文选取了较为典型的吉首泥灰岩风化壳剖面,从矿物学地球化学的角度来探讨碳酸盐岩风化壳的形成过程和发育特征,结果表明该风化壳既遵循非碳酸盐岩（主要是结晶岩类）风化壳的发育特征,也具有自己独特的地球化学演化规律。风化壳总体特点受碳酸盐中的酸不溶物矿物组合及化学成分的影响甚至控制,风化非碳酸盐风壳相似的发育特征。吉首泥灰岩风化壳剖面的发育特征和作者早先提出 的碳酸盐岩风化成土的两阶段模式是一致的,即以碳酸盐矿物大量淋失、酸不溶物逐渐堆积或残积为特征的早期阶段和残积物进一步风化成土的阶段,后一阶段的演化类似非碳酸盐岩类的风化过程。     

Geochemical and mineralogical composition of black weathering crusts on limestones from seven different European countries

Twenty-seven samples of black weathering crust and host carbonates were studied from seven European countries (Germany, Hungary, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Italy and Poland) representing 11 different sites. The samples were collected for sites for which long-term air pollution records are available. The mineralogical analyses (XRD, polarizing microscopy, SEM) have shown that despite decreasing SO₂ emissions crust samples are still very rich in gypsum. Further, in all host rock samples gypsum was also detected. Good correlations (R² > 0.9) were also found between water-soluble calcium and gypsum content and between sulphate and gypsum content both for black crusts and host rocks. The black gypsum crusts are four or five times richer in sulphate than the host rock. The conductivity of dissolved crust and host rock samples also shows a positive correlation with gypsum content of the samples. LA-ICP-MS analyses allowed the detection of high Pb-levels in black crusts and a negative shift in lead concentration at the crust/host rock transition. The lead content of the host rock is 2–5 mg/kg, while that of the crust is 3–25 mg/kg in the sample collected from Germany, while in the Belgian sample these values are 2–14 mg/kg and 80–870 mg/kg for the host rock and crust, respectively. The GC–MS technique allowed to detect the PAH content of black crusts and host rocks. The former one contains 0.6–15.6 (102.5) mg/kg, while in the host rock values between 0.2 and 2.4 mg/kg were found. The present study suggests that still large amounts of air pollution-related minerals and organic pollutants are found in the black weathering crusts of European carbonate buildings despite decreasing trends in air pollution.     

Discovery,Genesis and Significance of Metallic Minerals in Evaporate Series in the Kuqa Basin

A large-scale evaporate series is developed in Paleogene-Neogene strata in the Kuqa basin. The series is composed mainly of evaporate with thin beds of clastic rock (mainly mudstone and siltstone). In grayish white medium- and coarse-grained sandstone in Miocene strata, the formation of copper minerals is in close connection with brine. In joint planes, which are developed in vertical strata, are filled with gypsum. Gypsum and copper-mineralized sandstone contains enormous copper minerals, mainly atacamite. According to the SEM analysis for salt rock, gypsum rock, limestone, grayish green siltstone, grayish white medium-coarse-grained sandstone, some minerals are composed of metallic elements including Au, Ag, Cu, Zn, Pb, Co, Ni and U etc., in which Au occurs in a native form, Cu occurs in a native form or as atacamite in salt rock, gypsum rock and limestone, Ag occurs as silver sulfide in gypsum, and Zn, Pb, Co, Ni, U occur as compounds along with the above metallic ions in evaporate or clastic rock. From SEM images, we can see that metallic elements or their compounds (oxides or sulfides) “take root” as grains in salt or gypsum crystals, which belong to primary chemical sedimentation along with evaporate, while some grains “float” on surface of salt or gypsum. In the former case, mineral grains were formed together with salt (gypsum) crystals; while in the latter case, minerals were enriched from internal metallic ions (Paleogene evaporate samples) or external metallic ions (Neogene gypsum samples) in the late stage of evaporate formation. The metallic ions in Paleogene evaporate samples might originate from weathered or denudated materials in the south Tianshan Mountains. The metallic ions in the Neogene evaporate samples might be from metal-bearing brine, which migrated upward to surface along fractures and leached into evaporate (gypsum). Occurrence of metallic minerals and their compounds (elementary substance) in Paleogene evaporate proves that diversified metallic minerals exist in evaporate. The source of metallic ions in the Neogene evaporate series shows that evaporate could provide materials for late-stage metallic mineralization.     

Origin of subaerial Holocene calcareous crusts: role of algae, fungi and sparmicritisation

The Pleistocene Miami Limestone that crops out on the lower Florida Keys is overlain by thin (16 cm or less), discontinuous, Holocene calcareous crusts (caliche) that are usually laminated, composed dominantly of calcite micrite and may or may not incorporate part of the underlying limestone. Both allochems and sparry calcite cement in the former unit contain endolithic algae and fungi, borings and unicellular algae. Biogenic structures identical to those in the Miami Limestone also occur in the calcareous crusts but are somewhat less abundant in the latter unit versus the former unit. The calcareous crusts were formed in the vadose diagenetic environment. Some of the CaCO₃ necessary for the micrite that comprises the bulk of the crusts was probably derived from solution of carbonate from a soil cover and some from wind blown salt spray. Most of the micrite, however, was formed by replacement of the uppermost portions of the Miami Limestone. Replacement involved micritisation of allochems and a previously unreported process, sparmicritisation, the degrading recrystallization of sparry calcite to micrite. Minor sparmicritisation was caused by micrite calcification of endolithic fungi or algae within sparry calcite cement or by micrite precipitation in empty borings within such cement. Most sparmicritisation took place by dissolution of sparry calcite and concomitant precipitation of micrite in the space occupied previously by the dissolved spar. Such sparmicritisation is interpreted to be caused by chemical reactions involving the crystals, pore water which is moving slowly but steadily and organic compounds released during bacterial decomposition of fungi, algae or both. It is recognized that sparmicritisation occurs in the marine diagenetic environment and is not, therefore, necessarily indicative of vadose diagenesis. Incomplete sparmicritisation is responsible for some of the clotted textures typically found within calcareous crusts and may explain such textures in many other carbonate rock types. A combination of sparmicritisation and micritisation has probably greatly influenced the porosity of many reefs and, in some cases, led to the formation of ‘micritic reefs’.     

The geochemical characteristics of aqueous rare-earth elements in shallow karst groundwater in Guiyang City,China

Fifty-seven shallow groundwater samples were collected from Guiyang karst basin, China, to analyze the aqueous rare-earth elements in low-water seasons and it is shown that the total amount of rare-earth elements (ΣREE) in karst groundwater is exceedingly low compared with that in carbonate rocks or weathering crusts of carbonate rocks, and ranges from 0.01 to 0.43, from 0.03 to 0.27, from 0.03 to 0.19 and from 0.05 to 1.38 μg·L-1 for dolomite, dolomitic & limestone, limestone and clastic rock aquifer, respectively. Both distributions and contents of rare-earth elements (REE) in karst groundwater reflect the lithology of host rocks or weathering crusts of carbonate rocks through which groundwater flows. The chondrite-normalized patterns show a non-flat profile with higher enrichment of slightly light rare-earth elements (LREE) than heavy rare-earth elements (HREE), prominent fractionation between LREE and HREE, negative Ce anomalies and negative or positive Eu anomalies. There is more obvious fractionation between LREE and HREE in groundwater than that in carbonate rocks and their weathering crusts due to high contents of HCO3? and PH in groundwater. In shallow karst groundwater, REE(CO3)n2n-3 (n=1 and 2) is the main inorganic species of REE. But for a clastic rock aquifer, both REESO4+ and REECO3+ are the main inorganic species of REE. Species of REE in groundwater is closely associated with the hydrochemical type of groundwater which is predominated by the lithology of host rocks, groundwater-rock interaction and weathering-pedogenesis of carbonate rocks.     

贵州青岩中三叠统垄头组台地边缘滩相储层特征分析

贵州贵阳青岩地区中三叠统垄头组发育于台地边缘浅滩沉积环境中,主要为一套藻屑、砾屑灰岩。青岩实测剖面的分析表明,垄头组储层岩石类型主要为生物碎屑灰岩、核形石灰岩、砂砾屑灰岩、藻团块灰岩及泥微晶灰岩。铸体薄片及扫描电镜鉴定分析发现,垄头组储集空间类型主要有微孔、晶间孔、粒内溶孔、铸模孔及构造微裂缝;对野外样品的物性特征研究表明,垄头组仅有4.5%的样品属好储层。认为沉积作用对储层发育具有一定的控制作用,胶结作用、重结晶作用尽管使得垄头组储层整体物性较差,但是溶蚀作用、白云石化作用及构造作用却局部改善了储层。指出了藻屑滩亚相内的裂缝发育带为有利储层发育区。     

滇东南中三叠统法郎组含锰岩系稀土元素和铀、钍元素的特征及意义

对滇东南中三叠统法郎组含锰岩系进行了系统采样,用ICP-MS法分析了17件锰矿样品和两件含锰灰岩样品中的稀土元素组成。研究表明,所有样品REE配分模式皆为富LREE型,锰矿样品表现较弱的Ce（δCe值0.79～1.29）异常和Eu（δEu值0.84～1.20）异常;而含锰灰岩则显示出强烈的负Ce异常和较弱的负Eu异常。并通过logTh-logU图解分析,得出滇东南中三叠统法郎组含锰岩系普遍经受了多期次的热液的作用。     

Urban and rural limestone weathering; the contribution of dust to black crust formation

A novel approach of studying dust, black crust and host limestones by using various techniques is presented in this paper. Samples were collected from limestone monuments located in rural, urban and industrial areas in Germany and Hungary. The paper focuses on differences in the mineralogical composition, major and trace element distribution of materials and their total polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) concentration having different exposure to air pollutants. High concentration of gypsum was found in laminar and dendritic black crusts and even in the dust of both urban and rural areas, despite the low concentration of SO₂ in rural atmospheric environments. The black crusts show a typical microfabric with distinct layers of various gypsum–calcite mineral associations, silt-sized mineral fragments and black particle content. In dust, newly formed gypsum crystals were found along with mineral fragments, and siliceous and, less frequently, carbonaceous fly ash particles. High concentration of lead was found both in the samples of urban and rural areas of Germany and Hungary. Lead mostly accumulates in dust and also in the black crust. Highest lead concentrations were found not on the surface of the black crust, but close to the crust/limestone boundary according to LA-ICPMS analyses. It indicates that despite the ban of leaded petrol, lead is still present in the dust and the in the soiled zones of the built environment. Similarly to lead, no significant difference in the total PAH content of dust and crust samples were found in the two countries. Dusts are equally enriched in PAH in both countries, whereas black crusts contain fewer amounts. Most of the aqueous extracts of the samples were saturated with respect to sulphate, which also indicate the presence of gypsum, whilst in some German samples unsaturated conditions were detected. In summary, by using a combination of these analytical techniques, it was possible to distinguish rural and urban samples and to outline the role of dust in bringing pollutants to the stone surface. It is suggested that the analysed dust and stone samples indicate not only present, but also the past, pollution fluxes and as a consequence stones similar to sediments or surface waters can be used as environment indicators.     

Experimental investigation of limestone of the Faiyah Range area,United Arab Emirates

The paper presents results of a laboratory experimental program performed on limestone rock samples, using both physical and mechanical methods. The studied rocks (Simsima Formation, Upper Cretaceous) can be classified as highly ferruginous and highly fossilliferous limestone. The lower part of the Simsima Formation contains common fauna such as Orbittoids, rhodolithic and rudists, whereas the upper part of the limestone is interbedded with conglomerates. Detailed geological, petrographic in addition to physical and mechanical tests were carried out on some representative samples from the Faiyah area, aiming at getting a better understanding of the important properties of these rocks. It is shown that the uniaxial unconfined compressive stress is the controlling factor of classification of the Faiyah limestone.     

灰岩拉伸过程中细观结构演化的分形特征

岩石损伤演化的本质在于内部微细观结构发生了不可逆的劣化,它会在岩石表面体现出来。通过带扫描电镜的伺服试验机对岩石进行了拉伸试验,实时采集了岩石变形破坏过程中表面细观形貌的SEM照片。试验表明岩石在变形破坏过程中表面形貌将发生不可逆的演化直至最终出现宏观拉伸裂纹。针对SEM照片,借助数字图像处理的方法进行了阈值分割及边缘检测,计算出SEM数字图像的分形维数作为描述岩石表面细观形貌的参数。研究表明,随着载荷的增大,岩石表面的分形维数也逐渐增大,岩石的损伤程度加剧。     

微地域搬运——碳酸盐岩红色风化壳形成过程的一种方式

由于差异溶蚀作用,由碳酸盐岩强烈风化形成的红色风化壳通常表现出独特的剖面构型:风化壳发育深厚、下伏基岩面强烈起伏波动、溶沟和石牙相间展布。以黔中岩溶台地之上发育的红色风化壳——平坝剖面为例,通过宏观地质、地球化学、粒度分析以及矿物学等方法,并以邻近的两个石灰土剖面(罗吏剖面和龙洞堡剖面)作对比,对碳酸盐岩红色风化壳的形成过程进行了讨论,论证了微地域搬运是碳酸盐岩红色风化壳尤其是厚层红色风化壳形成过程的一种方式。溶沟部位的风化壳,从风化前锋向上的一定深度范围内,为原位残积风化的产物(残积层);在此深度以上的部分,为地势较高的相邻石牙部位不同风化程度的残积物的搬运堆积(堆积层),也是导致风化指标随深度呈锯齿状波动的直接原因。后者一般组成剖面的主体。风化壳的年代地层学表现为,在残积层,从风化前锋向上,风化年龄由新到老;在堆积层,从下到上,风化年龄由老到新。风化前锋是一个重要的地球化学作用场所,在这一狭窄的界面上,伴随碳酸盐矿物的快速淋失,残余酸不溶物开始了明显分解。而风化壳的后期演化是一个缓慢而长期的过程。达到重力平衡的剖面(即风化壳表面平缓、不发生微地域搬运的剖面),在由表及里的风化作用下,从地表向下的一定深度范...     

四川广元上寺剖面上二叠统大隆组有机质分布特征与富集因素

四川盆地上二叠统大隆组富有机质硅质泥岩是页岩气勘探的一套重要目的层系.利用扫描电子显微镜和元素地球化学等方法探究大隆组有机质类型、分布特征及富集因素,对该地区非常规油气勘探具有指导意义.根据扫描电镜图片,上寺剖面大隆组有机质按形态可分为形态有机质、弥散有机质和沥青.三者成因不同,形态有机质是选择性保存的结果,以离散状分布在所有岩性样品中;弥散有机质是大隆组有机碳总量(total organic carbon,TOC)的主体,主要分布在硅质泥岩样品中,硅质灰岩样品中极少,体现了粘土矿物的吸附作用;沥青是可溶有机质运移进入孔、缝系统,经高热演化后形成的块状有机质,主要分布于硅质灰岩和灰岩样品中.该剖面地球化学数据显示缺氧沉积环境有利于有机质保存,但海洋表层生产力才是控制TOC含量变化的主要因素.研究表明,晚二叠世海平面上升导致上寺剖面大隆组表层生产力增加及底层海水缺氧,该组富有机质黑色硅质泥岩段高TOC是沉积环境与矿物吸附共同作用的结果,同时也反映了原生有机质保存情况.更好的理解泥质烃源岩中有机质赋存类型有助于烃源岩评价及非常规油气勘探开发工作.      

三峡库区巫峡段典型岩体劣化特征研究

三峡工程形成了在高程145~175 m之间的周期性水位波动,促使库区灰岩岸坡劣化损伤加剧,稳定性急剧衰减。其中巫峡段灰岩岸坡受库水长期的物理化学作用,宏观劣化现象最为明显,局部顺层岸坡底部受侵蚀劣化脱空,岩层出露,存在潜在的滑移-拉裂破坏。文章借助三维激光扫描点云技术对岩体表层宏-细观劣化进行了定量化观测,发现岩体劣化主要沿着泥质填充条带等薄弱结构面进行,现场“刀砍纹”状溶蚀沟槽的差异劣化与白云石和方解石抗溶蚀性能密切相关。室内干湿循环劣化试验进一步表明:三叠系大冶组(T1d)泥质条带灰岩的劣化速率明显高于三叠系嘉陵江组(T1j)白云质灰岩,这与两种岩性的矿物成分及孔隙微观结构组成相关,且随着循环周期增加,两种岩样的物理力学性质呈现出不同程度的衰减;基于核衰变劣化控制式进行回归,R2高达0.861 9~0.999 3。引入劣化常数λ、半衰期T1/2对两种岩性劣化特征进行描述,发现同一岩性不同物理参数对应的劣化常数λ、半衰期T1/2不同,呈现“簇状”分布,与室内试验数据表现一致;运用劣化控制式时要考虑现场岩体由于各种结构面的存在,岩体会加速劣化,需要对劣化控制方程和力学强度进行相应折减。文章结合现场宏-细观劣化现象以及室内干湿循环,构建了物理意义明确的基于核衰变的劣化控制方程,为类似灰岩岸坡劣化评估预测与稳定性分析提供参考。     

温湿气候区结晶岩与碎屑岩腐岩特征及其发育过程

发育于斜坡非饱和带的结晶岩与碎屑岩腐岩多夹于残坡积土层和风化岩带之间,保留有裂隙及层理等构造,但质地松软。腐岩结构体与母岩色差显著,保留原岩结构和构造特征,矿物成分以次生粘土矿物、次生石英及褐铁矿最为常见。腐岩次生微孔隙发育,具有低密度、高孔隙度、高渗透率、高容水度及高持水度特征。腐岩发育是通过低渗透岩石结构体风化前锋的渐进性扩展实现的,非饱和带高湿度空气形成的凝结水和降水入渗形成的非饱和渗流是该过程的核心动力。气态水分子能够扩散到低渗透岩石结构体表面内侧一定宽度范围内的孔隙系统之中凝结为液态水并溶蚀造岩矿物。雨季入渗降水在结构体表面形成的薄膜水流通过分子扩散机制接受其内侧结构体粒间溶液中的溶出组分并将其携入饱水带,同时恢复粒间溶液的侵蚀动力。当上述过程循环到一定程度时,结构面内侧便形成一定厚度的腐岩壳。腐岩壳在雨季直接吸收、贮存流经其表面的液态渗入水,在核心石外侧形成富水结构层并在旱季向包气带或其内侧的风化前锋提供水汽。随着时间推移,腐岩壳越来越厚,核心石最终消失;当某一范围内的岩石结构体全部演变为腐岩结构体时,该范围内的岩体也就完成了向腐岩体的转变。     

A specific type of Fe-Mn mineralization on the Arctic seafloor

Three samples of Fe-Mn crusts overgrown on the surface of rocks are studied from the Mendeleev submarine rise located in the northern subpolar part of the Chukchi Sea. A massive crust up to 4–5 cm thick consists of an upper dense and lower denser layers similar in composition to the main one and contains 31–37% FeO and 11–13% MnO. Thin crusts and films are depleted in both components. Fe-vernadite is a major mineral of the crusts. The comparison of the major and trace element composition of the crusts with oceanic and marine nodules and hydrothermal crusts shows that they are mostly similar in composition to the nodules of the Bering Sea and are significantly distinct from the oceanic hydrothermal crusts. A small inclusion of the Pt-, Pd-, and Ru-rich (up to 1–2%) rock in one of the thin crusts points to the possible role of igneous rocks as a source of precious metals.     

岩溶试片的岩性差异对估算岩溶速率和碳通量的影响

研究岩性差异对溶蚀速率的影响有助于提高溶蚀试片法估算岩溶碳汇强度的精确度。本文以贵州省普定县为研究区,将埋放地的主要基岩类型（石灰岩与白云岩）制成标准尺寸的试片,并将其埋设于不同土地利用类型和土壤深度下,经过4个水文年的监测后将估算的结果与前人在同一区域使用标准溶蚀试片的研究结果进行对比分析,结果表明:（1）在相同气候和土壤环境条件下,岩性对溶蚀试片的溶蚀速率有显著影响,且溶蚀速率与岩石中CaO含量呈正相关关系,与MgO含量呈负相关关系;（2）石灰岩与白云岩试片溶蚀速率的差异程度受土地利用及埋放深度的调控,整体上石灰岩溶蚀速率比白云岩溶蚀速率大14%;（3）不同岩性试片估算的岩溶碳汇强度相差较大,标准溶蚀试片估算的结果比埋放地基岩试片估算的结果高。故使用溶蚀试片法估算区域岩溶碳通量时应考虑埋放地基岩的岩性,或者对基于标准溶蚀试片的估算结果进行校正,才能准确反映区域尺度真实的岩溶碳通量大小。      

A study of some Nigerian carbonate rocks for the building construction industry

A number of geotechnical analyses were carried out on selected carbonate rock samples from ten locations in Nigeria. This was to assess the suitability of these rocks as building construction aggregates. The analyses included uniaxial compressive strength, tensile strength porosity, water absorption and dynamic fragmentation.

Evaluation of these carbonate rocks on the basis of a quality index (QI) scheme show that some lithofacies (i.e., calcareous siltstone, pisolitic limestone, marly limestone, massive limestone, sandy limestone, oncolitic limestone and fossiliferous limestone) which were obtained from Abini, Ashaka, Calabar Ikom road, Ikot Okpora, Mfamosing and Nkalagu are the best for construction purposes. However, it is recommended that the susceptibility of each deposit to solution should be investigated.