New Insights on Secondary Minerals from Italian Sulfuric Acid Caves Ilenia M
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
International Journal of Speleology 47 (3) 271-291 Tampa, FL (USA) September 2018 Available online at scholarcommons.usf.edu/ijs International Journal of Speleology Off icial Journal of Union Internationale de Spéléologie New insights on secondary minerals from Italian sulfuric acid caves Ilenia M. D’Angeli1*, Cristina Carbone2, Maria Nagostinis1, Mario Parise3, Marco Vattano4, Giuliana Madonia4, and Jo De Waele1 1Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Zamboni 67, 40126 Bologna, Italy 2DISTAV, Department of Geological, Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Genoa, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genova, Italy 3Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Umberto I 1, 70121 Bari, Italy 4Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 22, 90123 Palermo, Italy Abstract: Sulfuric acid minerals are important clues to identify the speleogenetic phases of hypogene caves. Italy hosts ~25% of the known worldwide sulfuric acid speleogenetic (SAS) systems, including the famous well-studied Frasassi, Monte Cucco, and Acquasanta Terme caves. Nevertheless, other underground environments have been analyzed, and interesting mineralogical assemblages were found associated with peculiar geomorphological features such as cupolas, replacement pockets, feeders, sulfuric notches, and sub-horizontal levels. In this paper, we focused on 15 cave systems located along the Apennine Chain, in Apulia, in Sicily, and in Sardinia, where copious SAS minerals were observed. Some of the studied systems (e.g., Porretta Terme, Capo Palinuro, Cassano allo Ionio, Cerchiara di Calabria, Santa Cesarea Terme) are still active, and mainly used as spas for human treatments. The most interesting and diversified mineralogical associations have been documented in Monte Cucco (Umbria) and Cavallone-Bove (Abruzzo) caves, in which the common gypsum is associated with alunite-jarosite minerals, but also with baryte, celestine, fluorite, and authigenic rutile-ilmenite-titanite. In addition, the core of alunite and jarosite, from these two 3- systems, results enriched in PO4 , clearly suggesting hypogene hydrothermal origin. Santa Cesarea Terme, Capo Palinuro, and Acqua Mintina caves show important native sulfur deposits, which abundantly cover walls, ceilings, and speleothems. Abundant copiapite, pickeringite, tamarugite, hexahydrate assemblages have been observed in the Calabrian systems; their association with pyrite and hematite would suggest they formed in very acidic conditions with pH ranging between 0 and 4. Keywords: hypogene, rising waters, Apennine Chain, mineralogy, cave sulfates Received 11 January 2018; Revised 2 March 2018; Accepted 24 May 2018 Citation: D’Angeli I.M., Carbone C., Nagostinis M., Parise M., Vattano M., Madonia G. and De Waele J., 2018. New insights on secondary minerals from Italian sulfuric acid caves. International Journal of Speleology, 47 (3), 271-291. Tampa, FL (USA) ISSN 0392-6672 https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806X.47.3.2175 INTRODUCTION units, where fluids originate from distant or deep sources, independent of recharge from the overlying or Italy hosts a wide variety of karstic rocks, such immediately adjacent surface” (Klimchouk, 2017 p.3). as carbonates (limestone, dolostone, conglomerate), Upwelling fluids, along the pathway, are normally evaporites (gypsum, anhydrite, and halite) and subjected to changes in pressure and temperature, quartzites, in which important epigenic (due to the flow causing continuous disequilibrium conditions, of shallow meteoric waters) or hypogenic (produced triggering mineral reactions and formation of macro- by ascending deep-seated waters or by aggressive porosity. The combination of variable conditions solutions formed at depth below the surface) cave result in diverse genetic types with typical void- systems can develop (Palmer, 2007, 2011). Recently, conduit patterns (Klimchouk, 2007, 2017). A genetic the definition of hypogene processes has been subdivision has been created in accordance with the rearranged, as cave speleogenesis related to “the dissolutive chemistry involved in cave speleogenesis, formation of solution-enlarged permeability structures and the principal hypogenic karst types are: sulfuric (void-conduit systems) by upwelling fluids that recharge acid (SAS), hydrothermal, mixing-corrosion, and the cavernous zone from hydrostratigraphically lower evaporite-dissolution (Klimchouk, 2017). *[email protected] The author’s rights are protected under a Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. 272 D'Angeli et al. Here we focus on sulfuric acid speleogenetic relevant geochronological information, through K/Ar (SAS) caves, which represent interesting systems or Ar/Ar dating (Polyak et al., 1998). From an overall characterized by peculiar geomorphological features point of view, speleogenetic by-products are essential due to rising flows (Palmer & Palmer, 2000; Audra, clues to understand the environmental conditions of 2008; Klimchouk, 2009; Palmer, 2013; De Waele cave formation. et al., 2016), secondary mineral deposits (Polyak & Italy hosts ~25% of the known worldwide sulfuric Provencio, 2001; Onac et al., 2009; Onac & Forti, acid caves (Galdenzi & Menichetti, 1995; De Waele 2011; Audra et al., 2015), and peculiar biosignatures et al., 2014; D’Angeli et al., 2016), located especially such as stream biofilms, vermiculations, moonmilk along the Apennine Chain, in the southeast Apulian deposits, and snottites (Summers Engel et al., 2004; foreland, in Sicily and in Sardinia. Generally, the Macalady et al., 2006; D’Angeli et al., 2017b). They H2S source is thought to be related to the deep- can evolve both in confined (under pressure) and seated upper Triassic evaporite unit called “Anidriti unconfined settings (Klimchouk, 2005, 2009). Their di Burano Formation (Fm.)” (Martinis & Pieri, 1964; main features are linked to ascending acidic waters, Ciarapica et al., 1986) cropping out in several regions that gain their aggressiveness from deep-seated of Italy including Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Latium, sources (Hill, 1990), such as: oxidation of magmatic Umbria, Marche, and Apulia. gases (H2S and SO2), assimilatory-dissimilatory The findings of interesting mineralogical assemblages (60-80°C) and/or thermochemical (100-180°C) together with the presence of peculiar geomorphological sulfate-reduction (Canfield, 2001; Machel, 2001) of features helped in the recognition of fossil SAS caves, hydrocarbon and evaporite layers, reduction of and the aim of this paper is to revise the previous marine waters involved in deep circulation flows, knowledge and put in light new insights into the and/or reduction of sulfide ore deposits through origin of SAS minerals. abiotic and/or microbially-mediated actions (Audra et al., 2015). GEOLOGICAL SETTING The most important mechanism of the sulfuric acid process, firstly demonstrated by Egemeier (1981), is The geological history of Italy is very complex, and the oxidation of H2S into H2SO4 (1). characterized by two main orogenic events (Doglioni & Flores, 1997). The Alps generated by a compression H S + 2O → H SO (1) 2 2 2 4 that started during the Eocene caused by the W-NW This acid immediately reacts with the carbonate movement of the Adriatic Plate toward the Eurasian host-rock (2) producing replacement gypsum deposits Plate. Whereas the Apennines evolved since the upper and degassing CO2, further contributing in the Eocene because of the slow subduction and movement dissolution processes. of the Adriatic Plate toward the West. In Italy, sulfuric acid speleogenetic caves developed mainly along CaCO + SO + 2H+ + 2H O → 3 4 2 (2) the Apennine Chain (asymmetric arc) divided into CaSO · 2H O + CO + H O 4 2 2 2 northern (E-Liguria, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, The interaction of H2SO4 with the insoluble Marche), central (Latium, Umbria, Abruzzo, Molise), deposits inside caves produces mineral assemblages and southern (Campania, Basilicata, Calabria, belonging to the “speleogenetic by-products” (Polyak Sicily), with three main forelands located in the Po & Provencio, 2001), that have been clearly observed Plain, Apulia, and southeastern Sicily. Generally, in some of the best-documented examples of fossil the stratigraphic succession is characterized by sulfuric acid caves, such as the case of Guadalupe deep Caledonian-Hercynian rocks constituting Mountains (New Mexico, USA) (Hill, 1990; Jagnow the basement, covered by terrigenous clastic and et al., 2000; Palmer & Palmer 2000), which evolved peritidal sediments (upper Carnian), followed by in areas characterized by extremely dry weather shallow carbonate platforms “Dolomia Principale” conditions, allowing the preservation of original (upper Triassic). Subsequently, tectonic movements sulfuric acid features also after exhumation (Palmer controlled the geological structures, producing horsts & Palmer, 2000; Klimchouk et al., 2016). The and grabens and creating several sedimentary basins. speleogenetic by-products represent a consequence During the Triassic, red beds called “Verrucano Fm.” of: a) alteration of insoluble sediments (mostly and evaporites known as the “Anidriti di Burano aluminium phosphates and sulfates), b) replacement Fm.” were deposited. In the terrains of Basilicata, or alteration of carbonate rocks, and c) precipitation Calabria, and Sicily deep water conditions allowed of dissolved species. They can mainly be divided the deposition