Data of Geochemistry
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Data of Geochemistry * Chapter Y. Marine Evaporites GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 440-Y Data of Geochemistry ' MICHAEL FLEISCHER, Technical Editor Chapter Y. Marine Evaporites By FREDERICK H. STEWART GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 440-Y UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1963 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STEWART L. UDALL, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Thomas B. Nolan, Director REPRINTED 1964 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C., 20402 - Price 60 cents (paper cover) DATA OF GEOCHEMISTRY, SIXTH EDITION Michael Fleischer, Technical Editor The first edition of the Data of Geochemistry, by F. W. Clarke, was published in 1908 as U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 330. Later editions, also by Clarke, were published in 1911, 1916, 1920, and 1924 as Bulletins 491, 616, 695, and 770. This, the sixth edition, has been written by several scientists in the Geological Survey and in other institutions in the United States and abroad, each preparing a chapter on his special field. The current edition is being published in individual chapters, titles of which are listed below. Chapters already published are indicated by boldface. CHAPTER A. The chemical elements B. Cosmochemistry C. Internal structure and composition of the Earth D. Composition of the earth's crust E. Chemistry of the atmosphere F. Chemical composition of subsurface waters, by Donald E. White, John D. Hem, and G. A. Waring G. Chemical composition of rivers and lakes, by Daniel A. Livingstone H. Chemistry of the oceans I. Geochemistry of the biosphere J. Chemistry of rock-forming minerals K. Volcanic emanations, by Donald E. White and G. A. Waring L. Phase equilibrium relations of the common rock-forming oxides except water M. Phase equilibrium relations of the common rock-forming oxides with water and (or) carbon dioxide N. Chemistry of igneous rocks O. Chemistry of rock weathering and soils P. Chemistry of bauxites and laterites Q. Chemistry of nickel silicate deposits R. Chemistry of manganese oxides S. Chemical composition of sandstones excluding carbonate and volcanic sands, by F. J. Pettijohn T. Nondetrital siliceous sediments, by Earle R. Cressman U. Chemical composition of shales and related rocks V. Chemistry of carbonate rocks W. Chemistry of iron-rich rocks X. Chemistry of phosphorites Y. Marine evaporites, by Frederick H. Stewart Z. Continental evaporites AA. Chemistry of coal BB. Chemistry of petroleum, natural gas, and miscellaneous carbonaceous substances CC. Chemistry of metamorphic rocks DD. Abundance and distribution of the chemical elements and their isotopes EE. Geochemistry of ore deposits FF. Physical chemistry of sulfide systems GG. The natural radioactive elements HH. Geochronology II. Temperatures of geologic processes JJ. Composition of fluid inclusions HE CONTENTS Page Abstract _.___________.__._..__. Yl Physical Chemistry Continued Introduction and acknowledgments_ ____... 1 The system Mg-Na-K-Cl-SO4-H.O, under condi Depositional environment__ _____. 2 tions of saturation with respect to NaCl.__ ______ Y14 Lateral variation-_________________... 3 The later calcium salts. ______ ____ 22 Vertical repetition.__________-_-_.___.__. 5 Theoretical salt successions from sea water _-__- 22 Mineralogy.-_____________ ________________ 6 ''Dynamic-polythermal" studies.__ _ 25 Major elements___-_-_-_-_.-_______. 6 Metastable phenomena - 25 Minor elements______-_.________.. 7 Some minor constituents and further references. 25 Color of evaporite minerals._-____.____. 7 Natural deposits_ ___- -______.- 26 Mode of occurrence of evaporite minerals. 9 Distribution_ ._ ____-_________-_-__-_-- 26 Carbonates.- __________________ 9 Natural successions.____________________________ 26 Borates__________-_______-_-_-. 9 Chemical composition._ __--______-___-____-_ 32 Sulfates_______________________ 9 Minor and trace elements ____________________ 32 Chlorides_____---_____._-___.. 10 Secondary changes __-_ ____________________ 40 Fluorides_________.___._.____. 11 General. - ___________________ 40 Other mineraLs____--_-_-_---__-__- 11 Penecontemporaneous changes_______._______--- 42 Physical chemistry__________---____---__. 12 Postconsolidation changes _-___--__-_--__-_-- 42 Experiments of Usiglio.________________ 12 Literature cited__..__ __-_-________---_-_-- 44 Gypsum and anhydrite.__-____..______- 13 Index........ ____._-____-_-_---___-_-_-_____. 53 ILLUSTRATIONS Page PLATE 1. Composite cross section showing the succession of evaporites in Upper Permian formations, southeastern New Mexico______________________________________..__ ----- In pocket FIGURE 1. Solubility of gypsum, hemihydrate, and anhydrite in the system CaSOr-H.O Y13 2. Pressure-temperature relations for the reaction gypsum = anhydrite + water _________-__-__-___--___-__. 14 3. Solubility curves for gypsum and anhydrite in solutions of sea salts....- ______--___- ._ 14 4. Dependence of the dehydration temperature of gypsum on concentration of NaCl in solution at one bar pressure. 14 5-9. Stability fields of oceanic salts 5. A, At 0°C. B, At 15°C__ __. _-___.__-____-__________._-__-__..___ . ..-- _ - -.- 15 6. A, At 25°C. B, At 32.5°C .___..__._.._____--_- ._._____.--_.-__...___.__._---_-__ 17 7. A, At 40°C. B, At 55°C____ __ _.___-__ -__.__ _ - 19 8. A, At 70°C. B, At 83°C_... ..... ...... .. 20 9. At 110°C.........______.-.__.._-_-_-________________._..._-__..__ . _____.._...._- 21 10. Temperature ranges of formation of oceanic salts between 0° and 100°C __ -- ______________ 22 11. Map showing the distribution of Permian salt deposits in northwest Europe and the British Isles....---------- 28 12. Map showing the distribution of salts in the Salado Formation in Texas and New Mexico.___ ___.___-_- 28 13. Succession and mineral distribution in the evaporites of two boreholes through the English Zechstein .-__-_. 29 VI CONTENTS TABLES Face TABLE 1. Chemical analyses of Boccana de Virrila water samples_________ __ __________ __________ ______ Y5 2. Minerals of marine evaporites _ _________________________________________ ___________ ___ 6 3. Major dissolved constituents of sea water_____________________________________________ __ _ 7 4. Minor elements that form definite compounds in marine evaporites___________________--_--_______--___- _ 8 5. Weight percentages of some trace elements of halite--__---_---_-------------_-----------_-_-_------ - 8 6. Helium in halite__ ________________________________________________________ _______ 8 7. Impurities in halite from Wintershall, Germany_______________________________________________________ 8 8. Iron content of two clays from the Salado Formation, New Mexico_____________--__________--_-__--_------ 11 9. Analyses of Mediterranean water and bitterns______________________________________________________ 12 10. Salts laid down in concentration of sea water_________________________________________________ ___ 12 11. Transition points in the system Mg-Na-K-Cl-SC>4-H_0 (invariant solutions)-_-_-_---_--__-_-_-_---_--_--_- 16 12. Equilibria in the system Mg-Na-K-Cl-S04-H20 at 0°C.__---_-_______________.-___ - 16 13. Equilibria in the system Mg-Na-K-Cl-SOr-H20 at 25°C_ -------_______-____---__-_____._ 18 14. Equilibria in the system Mg-Na-K-Cl-S04-H20 at 55°C__.________-_______-___-___--- 18 15. Equilibria in the system Mg-Na-_£-Cl-S04-H20 at 83°C-__________________________ 21 16. Theoretical successions of precipitation up to the stage of saturation with potassium-free magnesium suifates.-- 23 17. Orders of deposition of the bittern salts in the system Mg-Na-K-Cl-SC>4-H20 with their relative volumes ex pressed as percentages of total salts, excluding halite and calcium salts_______________________________ 24 18. Marine evaporite deposits of the conterminous United States ____-_-_--_--_--_-____-------_------_------ 27 19. Evaporite successions in the German and English Zechstein_____________--_____-________----_-_ - 30 20. Proportion of lithological types in the Salado Formation, New Mexico and Texas, and the Paradox Member of the Hermosa Formation, Colorado and Utah_________________________________________________________ 30 21. Successions in the "older" evaporite cycle of the German Zechstein__._____________________________ ___ 31 22. Analyses of gypsum-, anhydrite-, and poly halite-bearing rocks of marine evaporites_ __ _____ _____________ 33 23. Analyses, in weight percent, of anhydrite rock, polyhalite rock, and associated sedimentary rocks of the marine evaporite succession of the Paradox Basin of Utah, and the Salado Formation of Texas and New Mexico_____ 33 24. Analyses of halite rocks of marine evaporites________-____-_______-________-______--___-___----------- 34 25. Analyses of potassium-bearing marine evaporite rocks__________________________________________________ 34 26. Analyses of potash zones and salt clays of marine evaporites-_-______________________-___-_____-----_-_--- 35 27. Boron in the minerals and rocks of marine evaporites____-_-____-_--__-_--__--_-___----___------_--_----- 36 28. Bromine in the minerals and rocks of marine evaporites_---__-_-_----_____---_____-_---_-----_----------- 36 29. Bromine content of halite of Stassfurt evaporites_______-______----__-_-__-_----------_----_-_----------- 36 30. Iodine in the minerals and rocks of marine evaporites--___________--__-__-_-____---------__-____-_------- 37 31. Trace-element analyses of halite and water-insoluble material from halite rocks of German Zechstein evaporites- 38 32. Trace-element analyses