Carbonate diagenesis kinetics

Under the modest temperature and pressure conditions characteristic of the environments in which meteoric diagenesis typically takes place, many of the most important reactions are slow. This has severely constrained the study of the chemical mechanisms and kinetics involved in such fundamental processes as the aragonite to calcite transformation and dolomite formation. Information on these processes obtained under conditions not typical of the meteoric realm (e.g., elevated temperatures) are of questionable applicability to "real world" carbonate diagenesis. 

Carbonate minerals are among the most chemically reactive common minerals under Earth surface conditions. Many important features of carbonate mineral behavior in sediments and during diagenesis are a result of their unique kinetics of dissolution and precipitation. Although the reaction kinetics of several carbonate minerals have been investigated, the vast majority of studies have focused on calcite and aragonite. Before examining data and models for calcium carbonate dissolution and precipitation reactions in aqueous solutions, a brief summary of the major concepts involved will be presented. Here we will not deal with the details of proposed reaction mechanisms and the associated complex rate equations. These have been examined in extensive review articles (e.g., Plummer et al., 1979 Morse, 1983) and where appropriate will be developed in later chapters. 

Schmalz R.F. (1967) Kinetics and diagenesis of carbonate sediments. J. Sediment. Petrol. 37, 60-67. 

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