Dissolution of Carbonate Rocks in a Laboratory Setting: Rates and Textures

Erik B Larson,Ronald V Emmons

doi:10.3390/min11060605

Erik B Larson, Ronald V Emmons

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/min11060605

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Journal: Minerals	Publication Date: Jun 5, 2021
Citations: 5	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Shawnee State University, University of Toledo

Abstract

Determining the dissolution rates of carbonate rocks is vital to advancing our understanding of cave, karst, and landscape processes. Furthermore, the role of carbonate dissolution is important for the global carbon budget and climate change. A laboratory experiment was setup to calculate the dissolution rates of two whole rock carbonate samples with different petrographic makeup (ooids and brachiopods). The carbonate rock samples were also explored under a scanning electron microscope to evaluate the textures that developed after dissolution The oolitic limestone dissolved at a rate of 1579 cm yr−1, and the pentamerous limestone (dolostone) dissolved at a rate of 799 cm yr−1. Both rocks did not dissolve evenly across their surface as indicated by scanning electron microscopy, it appears the allochems dissolved preferentially to the matrix/cement of the rocks and that some mechanical weathering happened as well. This work reports that the petrography and mineralogy of carbonate rocks is important to consider when exploring the cave, karst, and landscape evolution and that attention should be paid to the petrography of carbonate rocks when considering the global carbon budget.

Highlights

Calculating the dissolution rate of carbonate rocks is vital for understanding cave, karst, and landscape processes
This study proposes a laboratory-based approach to quantifying carbonate rock dissolution rates through karstic processes while at the same time exploring the differential dissolution that happens to these whole carbonate rocks through karstic processes
Determining the dissolution rate of carbonate rocks is important to our understanding of cave, karst, and landscape processes along with understanding of the global carbon budget

Summary

Introduction

Calculating the dissolution rate of carbonate rocks is vital for understanding cave, karst, and landscape processes. Numerous approaches to calculating the dissolution rates of carbonate rocks have been applied over the past century which can be broadly placed into three categories: theory-based methods, field-based methods, and laboratory-based methods (e.g., [3,4,5])—explored in detail in the background section of the paper. To this point there has been relatively little attention paid to the petrology and petrography of these carbonate rocks as whole rocks (i.e., not powdered) in karstic studies.

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Conclusion