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Dolomites and dolomitization

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Encyclopedia of Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

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The mineral dolomite is widely distributed in the Earth's crust, especially in sedimentary/diagenetic settings, in rocks that range in age from the Precambrian to the Recent. Ideal, ordered dolomite has a formula of CaMg (CO3)2 and consists of alternating layers of Ca2+-CO3 2−-Mg2+-CO3 2−-Ca2+ etc. perpendicular to the crystallographic c-axis. Most natural dolomite has up to a few percent Ca-surplus (and corresponding Mg-deficit), as well as less than ideal ordering. Protodolomite has about 55 percent to 60 percent Ca and is partly to completely disordered, that is, the alternating layer structure is poorly developed to non-existing. Protodolomite or partially ordered dolomite with a few percent Ca-surplus are common as metastable precursors of well-ordered, nearly stoichiometric dolomite. Dolostone is a rock that consist of >75 percent dolomite. Dolostones are alsocalled dolomites, especially in the literature prior to about 1990, but the term dolomites should be used only for...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3, Canada

    Hans G. Machel

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  1. Hans G. Machel
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Geography and Geology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada

    Gerard V. Middleton

  2. Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T IZ2, Canada

    Michael J. Church

  3. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G I, Canada

    Mario Coniglio

  4. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA

    Lawrence A. Hardie

  5. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

    Frederick J. Longstaffe

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© 1978 Dowden, Hutchinson & Ross, Inc.

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Machel, H.G. (1978). Dolomites and dolomitization. In: Middleton, G.V., Church, M.J., Coniglio, M., Hardie, L.A., Longstaffe, F.J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-3609-5_72

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-3609-5_72

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