Coral mineralogy

Matthew RK (1968) Carbonate diagenesis Equihbration of sedimentary mineralogy to the subaerial environement coral cap of Barbados, West Indies. J Sed Petrol 38 1110-1119 McCulloch MT, Esat T (2000) The coral record of last interglacial sea levels and sea surface temperatures. ChemGeol 169 107-129... 

Paleozoic limestone (Webb et al. 2004). These kimberlites all have similar groundmass mineralogies consisting mainly of carbonate, spinel, and serpentine with lesser monticellite, mica, apatite, and perovskite (Kong et al. 1999) and they are all of volcaniclastic facies near ground surface. Varying thicknesses of clay and fine marine sediments of the Tyrell Sea ( 4000 - 12000 years BP) and 1 to 4 m of peat overlie kimberlites (Fraser et al. 2005). Bioherms composed of coral and skeletal remains of other marine organisms sometimes outcrop. 

Insular phosphates of two different types exist, depending on whether guano interacts with igneous rocks of intermediate or basic types, or whether such action is confined to calcareous accumulation — such as coral. The first type, which will now be discussed, has more diversified mineralogical compositions. Rock phosphates of magnesium, aluminium and iron comprise less extensive deposits than phosphorites and, consequently, are of less economic importance. 

Sedimentary calcium carbonates are formed as the shells of marine plants and animals. Biologically produced CaCOs consists primarily of two minerals aragonite and calcite. Shallow-water carbonates, primarily corals and shells of benthic algae (e.g. Halimeda) are heterogeneous in their mineralogy and chemical composition but are composed mainly of aragonite and magnesium-rich calcite (see Morse and Mackenzie (1990) for a discussion). Carbonate tests of microscopic plants and animals, most of which hve in the surface ocean (there are also benthic animals that produce carbonate shells), are primarily made of the mineral calcite, which composes the bulk of the CaCOs... 

Cohen, A. L. McConnaughey, T. 2003. Geochemical perspectives on coral mineralization. In DOVE, P. M., De Yoreo, j. j. Weiner, S. (eds) Biominer-ahzation. Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, 54, 151-187. 

Most of the fossil corals from the Alakir Cay outcrops exhibit remarkable fossilization patterns from both morphological, microstructural and mineralogical view-points (summary in Cuif 1980). However, they have been submitted to mineralizing solutions crystallization of blocky calcite has occurred within the corallite internal cavities (Figs 4a-b). In spite of this crystallization process, fibrous aragonite is still well-preserved. For example, the average concentration of Sr is about 0.7% by weight (Fig. 4c), which is similar to the Sr concentration in recent coral fibres. Iron... 

Dana, James Dwisht (1813-95) American mineralogist and geologist who classified minerals, coined the term geosyncline, studied coral-rock formation, and theorized about the evolution of the Earth s crust. He wrote the first standard reference books in geology and mineralogy. 

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