A speleothem from Crovassa Azzurra, a mine cave in SW Sardinia (Italy), has been analysed for mineralogy, minor and trace elements and stable isotopes. It is composed of layers of primary calcite and aragonite, with a region of secondary calcite. The primary carbonate is strikingly rich in Zn and Pb, presumably as the result of transport in solution from overlying Pb-Zn deposits. Immediately below the transition between calcite and aragonite, concentrations of Zn, Cd and P increase. At the transition between aragonite and Pb-rich aragonite, concentrations of Pb and P increase. Stable isotopes do not indicate an evolution toward drier periods for these two transitions, conversely to what is normally observed in calcite-aragonite speleothems. On the contrary the combined observation of increase in P and metals derived from oxidation of sulphides and the variation of isotopic composition of aragonite and calcite suggests that in this mine cave aragonite was deposited with increasing flowrate and thus more humid conditions. In addition, the effect of Zn(2+) or Pb(2+) in inhibiting precipitation of calcite appears to have been more important than that of Mg(2+).

Trace element and stable isotope data from a flowstone in a natural cave of the mining district of SW Sardinia (Italy): evidence for Zn2+-induced aragonite precipitation in comparatively wet climatic conditions

CADDEO, GUGLIELMO;FRAU, FRANCO;
2011-01-01

Abstract

A speleothem from Crovassa Azzurra, a mine cave in SW Sardinia (Italy), has been analysed for mineralogy, minor and trace elements and stable isotopes. It is composed of layers of primary calcite and aragonite, with a region of secondary calcite. The primary carbonate is strikingly rich in Zn and Pb, presumably as the result of transport in solution from overlying Pb-Zn deposits. Immediately below the transition between calcite and aragonite, concentrations of Zn, Cd and P increase. At the transition between aragonite and Pb-rich aragonite, concentrations of Pb and P increase. Stable isotopes do not indicate an evolution toward drier periods for these two transitions, conversely to what is normally observed in calcite-aragonite speleothems. On the contrary the combined observation of increase in P and metals derived from oxidation of sulphides and the variation of isotopic composition of aragonite and calcite suggests that in this mine cave aragonite was deposited with increasing flowrate and thus more humid conditions. In addition, the effect of Zn(2+) or Pb(2+) in inhibiting precipitation of calcite appears to have been more important than that of Mg(2+).
2011
Mine cave, Speleothems, Trace elements, Stable isotopes, Mineralogy, Calcite, Aragonite, Kinetics, Environmental reconstruction
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11584/30946
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