Variations in diagenetic environments of the coral rag and underlying oolite of the osmington oolite formation (upper oxfordian) of the Oxford—Berkshire area, U.K., and their implications

Abstract

Petrographic and geochemical evidence shows convincingly that the diagenetic environment changes from marine phreatic through freshwater phreatic to vadose during lithification of the oolites and the overlying Coral Rag of the Osmington Oolite Formation in the Oxford—Berkshire area. This change is thought to be a consequence of tectonic uplift following deposition of the Coral Rag. Extensive neomorphic replacement of the corals took place in a freshwater phreatic environment created by tectonic uplift. Retention of Sr in the Coral Rag is related to differing diagenesis: pore-fluids remained for protracted periods within the Coral Rag as the downward flow was greatly retarded because of obliteration of porosity in the oolites by marine phreatic cementation before deposition of the Coral Rag.