Lead, zinc, and strontium in limestone cap rock from Tatum salt dome, Mississippi

Conference · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6025060

Saunders, J A

Limestone cap rock at Tatum salt dome, Mississippi, contains disseminated pyrite, sphalerite, and galena, and disseminated to massive amounts of strontianite (SrCO/sub 3/) and celestite (SrSO/sub 4/). Sulfide minerals are locally present in bitumen-rich areas of the upper, massive portion of the limestone cap rock, whereas strontium minerals are disseminated throughout this zone. However, sulfide and strontium minerals are most abundant in the lower banded portion of the limestone cap rock, which consists of alternating subhorizontal light and dark-colored bands. The dark bands are composed of calcite of variable grain size, sulfides, quartz, dolomite, albite, and up to 1% bitumen that apparently formed by the biodegradation of crude oil. Lighter bands are composed of variable amounts of coarsely crystalline, euhedral calcite, strontianite, and celestite resulting in strontium (Sr) contents of up to 30% locally. Banded limestone cap rock at Tatum dome formed at the top of the actively dissolving anhydrite zone by a combination of sulfate reduction and oxidation of liquid hydrocarbons by bacteria to cause the precipitation of calcite and sulfide minerals and the accumulation of insoluble residue from the anhydrite (quartz, albite, dolomite). Lead and zinc in the sulfide minerals could have been derived from the dissolving anhydrite, but the abundance of Sr minerals present requires an external source. Present-day oil field brines in central Mississippi contain up to 3000 ppm Sr, and basin brines of similar composition apparently contributed Sr to the cap-rock environment during formation.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Mississippi, University (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6025060
• Report Number(s): CONF-8810362-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 72:9
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BRINES
CALCITE
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATE MINERALS
CARBONATE ROCKS
CARBONATES
CHALCOGENIDES
FEDERAL REGION IV
GALENA
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC TRAPS
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON SULFIDES
LEAD COMPOUNDS
LEAD SULFIDES
LIMESTONE
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINERALS
MISSISSIPPI
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PYRITE
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SALT DEPOSITS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SPHALERITE
STRONTIUM CARBONATES
STRONTIUM COMPOUNDS
STRONTIUM SULFATES
SULFATES
SULFIDE MINERALS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
USA