Genesis of Dolomite from Ma55–Ma510 Sub‐members of the Ordovician Majiagou Formation in the Jingxi Area in the Ordos Basin

• Published in: Acta geologica Sinica (Beijing) 2017-08, Vol.91 (4), p.1363-1379
• Main Authors: LIU, Jingdong, JIANG, Youlu, LIU, Xinshe, YANG, Zhiwei, HOU, Xiangdong, ZHU, Rongwei, WEN, Caixia, WANG, Feiyan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Area; Biological activity; burial dolomitization; Crystal structure; Dolomite; Dolomitization; Dolostone; Evaporation; Fractures; genesis of dolomite; Geochemistry; Microbial activity; microbial dolomitization; Microorganisms; Migration; Ordos Basin; Ordovician; Petrogenesis; Petrology; Pores; Powder; Preservation; Recrystallization; Seawater; Sediments; Seepage; seepage reflux dolomitization; Slope; Sulfates; Teeth; Underwater
• ISSN: 1000-9515; 1755-6724
• DOI: 10.1111/1755-6724.13367

We clarified three stages of dolomitization and secondary changes by studying the petrology and geochemistry characteristics of dolomite from the Ma55–Ma510 sub‐members of the Ordovician Majiagou Formation in the Jingxi area in the Ordos Basin: (1) Syngenetic microbial dolomitization is characterized by formation of dolomite with a mainly micrite structure and horse tooth‐shape dolomite cements. (2) Seepage reflux dolomitization during the penecontemporaneous period superposed adjustment functions such as recrystallization and stabilization in the middle‐deep burial stage, forming dolomites mainly consisting of micro crystal and powder crystal structure. (3) Powder dolomite, fine dolomite, and medium‐coarse crystalline dolomite formed in pores and fractures in the middle‐deep burial stage. The secondary concussive transgression‐regression under a regressive background is an important condition for the occurrence of many stages of dolomitization in the study area. The basin was an occlusive epicontinental sea environment in the Ma5 member of the Ordovician Majiagou Formation sedimentary period. In the sediments, sulfate content was high, which is conducive to the preservation of microbial activity and microbial dolomitization. Micritic dolomite formed by microbial dolomitization provides good migration pathways for seepage reflux dolomitization. Affected by evaporation seawater with increased Mg/Ca ratio, seepage reflux dolomitization was widely developed and formed large‐scale dolomite, and underwater uplifts and slopes are favorable areas for dolomite. In the middle‐deep burial stage, dolomitizing fluid in the stratum recrystallized or stabilized the previous dolomite and formed a small amount of euhedral dolomite in the pores and fractures.