Benninger, Laura M. and Hein, James R. (2000) Diagenetic evolution of seamount phosphorite. In: Marine Authigenesis: From Global to Microbial. , ed. by Glenn, Craig R., Prévôt-Lucas, Liliane and Lucas, Jacques. SEPM Special Publications, 66 . SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology), Tulsa, Oklahoma, pp. 245-256, 12 pp. DOI 10.2110/pec.00.66.0245.

Text Benninger.pdf - Reprinted Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (2MB)

Abstract

Phosphorite, limestone, basalt, and breccia/conglomerate occur on the flanks of central Pacific Cretaceous seamounts. Phospbatization occurred during the Tertiary, at or immediately below the sediment-water interface, within thin bodies of porous carbonate sediment and within all rock types that occur on the seamounts. The phosphorites are composed of carbonate fluorapatite (CFA), which lines pores and replaces carbonate and silicate protoliths; protolith fabric is locally preserved in fine detail. Phosphatization is typically most pervasive adjacent to pores, fractures, and the outer surfaces of samples.

In order of decreasing abundance, diagenetic minerals associated with seamount phosphorites (SMP) include: CFA, Fe-Mn oxyhydroxides, palagonite, smectite, phillipsite, and barite. This mineral assemblage indicates that CFA formed under conditions consistent with low-temperature, open-circulation seafloor alteration of basalt. The common association between CFA and precipitation of Fe-Mn oxyhydroxides indicates that SMP formed under oxic to suboxic conditions.

Phosphatization is characterized by mineralization fronts; the angular superposition of those fronts (successive mineralizing fluids coming from different directions) locally leads to irregularly shaped domains that differ in pervasiveness of phosphatization, degree of fabric preservation, and abundance of secondary minerals. Phosphatization is, therefore, controlled by a variety of factors including protolith mineralogy and fabric, degree of pore-fluid saturation with respect to CFA, rate of pore-fluid/seawater circulation (rock-water ratio), and number of previous episodes of phosphatization.

Actions (login required)

View Item