Carbonate Rocks

Why carbonate rocks are special?

Strong link with the “biologic world”

carbonate sediments are born, not made (James, 1984)

“Organic world” has stronger A qz grain is a qz grain at the present time

and more complex relationship as well as in the Cambrian.
with the environment than the An actual reef works in a different way than
inorganic one. a Cambrian reef.

The study of carbonate rocks

allows paleoenvironmental
recostructionof high detail
 Why carbonate rocks are special?

Lateral transport of carbonate sediments

is usually very limited .
 Why carbonate rocks are special?

The composition of a siliciclastic rock does not give in general information

of the original depositional setting

The composition of a carbonate rock gives very often precise information

on the depositional environment.
 Why carbonate rocks are special?
Carbonates can be the final product of different processes

 mechanical deposition

 chemical precipitation
 in situ growth (build-up)
Classification of carbonate rocks
 Ternary Plot of Major Limestone Constituents

Fundamental to understanding sedimentary rocks is the distinction of three basic components:

GRAINS (termed allochems by Folk), MATRIX (carbonate mud), and porosity or porosity-filling
CEMENT. Typical carbonate rocks are plotted here on a ternary diagram using those three end
members.
 Carbonate Rock-Petrography

Grains or allochems
Matrix or mud
Carbonate Rocks are made of :
Cement

grains grains
matrix cement
 Carbonate Rock-Petrography

non-skeletal grains
Grains

skeletal grains/bioclasts

skeletal grains
non-skeletal grains
 Carbonate Classifications

Carbonate sediments and rocks

(lithified sediment hardened by diagenetic
processes, such as cementation, compaction,
mineral recrystallization)

Carbonate rock classification: Dunham (1962) based on

DEPOSITIONAL TEXTURE: information about energy of the
depositional environment.
MOST IMPORTANT and COMMONLY in USE!!

Carbonate rock classification: Folk (1951) based on grain

composition and presence of micrite or cement: information about
the origin of the grains and of the depositional environment.
NOT CURRENTLY IN USE!!
 Dunham (1962) Limestone Classification

Dunham classification is based on depositional texture

The distinction as to whether a rock is supported by matrix (mud) or framework (grains) is

fundamental to this scheme. The four basic terms for normal (non-crystalline) limestones can be
further modified with terms describing constituent grains or other features. The most difficult
aspect of this classification, in many cases, is in deciding whether a rock with large and irregular
(skeletal or intraclastic) grains, or one that has undergone substantial post-depositional
compaction, was originally mud- or grain-supported.
 Embry& Klovan (1971) Limestone Classification

In Embry and Klovan (1971) scheme,for biogenic limestones, the term “floatstone” replaces Dunhamʼs
“packstone”. For coarser, grain-supported biogenic limestones, the term “rudstone” was coined. In
addition, an organically bound rock can be termed a “bafflestone”, a “bindstone”, or a “framestone”,
depending on the nature of the organic structures. These last three terms, in particular, have been widely
adopted by those working on reefs, bioherms, and other biogenic carbonates.
Dunham (1962) Limestone Classification

EMBRY & KLOWAN (1971)

Carbonate rock classification: Dunham (1962) + Embry and
Klovan (1972)
1. Original components bound
together at the time of deposition:
BOUNDSTONE
1a. Organisms build a rigid
framework:
FRAMESTONE (corals)
1b. Organisms act as baffle:
BAFFLESTONE (algae, bryozoans)
1b. Organisms encrust and bind:
BINDSTONE (Stromatolites, red
algae)
2. Original components not bound together at
the time of deposition
2a. Less 10% grains > 2mm
-When mud-supported and grains are < 10%:
MUDSTONE
-When mud-supported and grains are > 10%:
WACKESTONE
-When grain-supported with micrite matrix
filling the pore space: PACKSTONE
-When grain-supported, no micrite matrix
(sediment) but cement (precipitate) or unfilled
pore space: GRAINSTONE
2b. More 10% grains > 2mm
-Matrix supported: FLOATSTONE
-Grain supported: RUDSTONE
Peloidal grainstone with intraclasts and bioclasts
Bioclastic grainstone
Lime mudstone
Bioclastic Packstone with intaclasts
Oolithic-bioclastic Grainstone
Bioclastic Packstone
Oolithic Grainstone
Bioclastic Wackestone
Bioclastic Packstone with intraclasts
Bioclastic Grainstone
Oolithic-peloidal Packstone
 Boundstone

Algal boundstone Coral boundstone

(bindstone) (framestone)
Finely laminated, algal boundstone
(Stromatolite).
From Baccelle & Bosellini (1965)