Geochemistry and petrology of the Main Limestone Series (Lower Carboniferous), South Wales,U.K.

Dolomitized Main Limestone rocks of the Lower Carboniferous crop out in a narrow band of about three fourths of a mile along the south, east and northeast rims of the South Wales Coalfield Basin which encompasses the general regions of Miskin, Taffs Well and the Clydach, respectively. The thickness of these rocks varies from a maximum of 2,750 feet to nothing.The Ca/Mg ratio in the Main Limestone in general ranged from 1.7 : 1 to over 100 : 1 with less than 2 : 1 to 3.5 : 1 being the commonest. Magnesium content ranged from less than 5% to over 60% (mole percent MgCO₃), with 40–50 mole percent p.f. MgCO₃ being the commoner.Petrographic study of the Main Limestone led to recognition of six major microfacies. They are: (1) biosparite; (2) dolobiomicrite; (3) quartz-dolomicrite; (4) dolomicrite; (5) oosparite; and (6) dolorudite. In terms of their geographic distribution, dolobiomicrite predominates in the Taffs Well region, while quartz-dolobiomicrite is common in the Clydach region. In terms of their distribution in time, biosparite is common in the basal part (Lower ZC₁ zone), dolobiomicrites (including the quartz-bearing variety) in the middle part (ZC₁ and C₂S₁ zone) of the Taffs Well region and its corresponding Calcite-Mudstone Group in the Clydach region.The bulk of dolomitization in these rocks occurred in the Caninia-Seminula zone or the Calcite-Mudstone Group. In this study, it marks geochemical stage B: the sea-connected lagoonal phase similar to one observed today in South Australia. It is suggested that such a sea-connected Lagoon in the Main Limestone Sea formed largely in response to a reef barrier (or a ridge) - a remnant of which is found today between Miskin and the Taffs Well region where the transition from lime to dolomite facies occurs. The Miskin area represented the deeper-water reef flank towards the open sea whereas the Taffs Well region marked the shallow-water reef flank landward.It is concluded that the Main Limestone Series contains predominantly diagenetic dolostones whilst the syngenetic and epigenetic dolostones are restricted in time and space. The diagenetic dolostone dominates in the Taffs Well and Clydach regions.