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Carbonates and Evaporites

, Volume 7, Issue 1, pp 48–55 | Cite as

Coordinated petrography-isotopic-chemical investigation of meteoric calcite cement (Jurassic-Pleistocene), Egypt

  • Hanafy Holail
Article
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Abstract

Based on textural (light and cathodoluminescence microscope), isotopic (δ18O and δ13C) and chemical (Mg, Sr, Fe and Mn) data, the meteoric sparry calcite cement underwent similar diagenetic history through geologic time (Jurassic, Cretaceous, Eocene, Miocene and Recent), Egypt. Whereas, the combined geochemical variations of these cements cannot be accounted for on the basis of temperature changes and most probably reflect compositional changes of meteoric fluids. These compositional changes may reflect change in response to climatic and vegetational fluctuations, and the evolution of meteoric fluid chemistry in response to progressive water/rock interaction.

Detailed cathodoluminescence petrography of these low-Mg calcite cement shows a brightly luminescent and compositional zones with respect to Mn2+ and/or Fe2+. Such strongly zones cement was probably formed under continually fluctuating chemical condition which are most typical of meteoric fluids. Meanwhile, the very low Sr values (<60 ppm) of these cements are compatible with meteoric origin.

The stable isotopic composition of these sparry calcite cements generally follows Lohmann's (1988) meteoric water line with relatively small variations in oxygen and carbon isotopic values. The δ13C values range from +1.5 to −7.5‰ PDB, where the δ18O values from −4.2 to −11.5‰ PDB. The depletion and variation in oxygen values cannot reasonably be attributed to an increase in temperature. Carbon variations similarly must reflect changes in the source of HCO3/−, from heavy marine-derived carbonate to light organic-derived bicarbonate. Finally, this trend will be attributed to increasing water/rock interaction and to isotopic evolution of the meteoric fluids during cementation.

Keywords

Calcite Jurassic Meteoric Water Cenomanian Campanian 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer 1992

Authors and Affiliations

  • Hanafy Holail
    • 1
  1. 1.Geology DepartmentAlexandria UniversityAlexandriaEgypt

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