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Early dolomitization and partial burial recrystallization: a case study of Middle Triassic peritidal dolomites in the Villány Hills (SW Hungary) using petrography, carbon, oxygen, strontium and clumped isotope data

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Abstract

Peritidal carbonates of the Csukma Formation (Csukma Dolomite Member) in the Villány Hills, SW Hungary, were investigated to determine the nature of the dolomitization and recrystallization processes that affected these rocks during their complex tectonic evolution, and to evaluate if clumped isotope data preserved signals from the original dolomitization event or are indicative of the later recrystallization processes. Sedimentary and petrographic features, as well as geochemical characteristics integrated with the tectonic evolution of the area indicate that dolomitization likely occurred penecontemporaneously via geothermal convection of normal-to-slightly modified seawater in a near-surface to shallow burial setting. This was followed by partial recrystallization of the dolomites in an intermediate burial setting with low water-to-rock ratios. Results of this study suggest that the clumped isotope temperatures of dolomites, partially recrystallized via dissolution–re-precipitation, may provide a minimum estimate of the temperature of recrystallization. However, caution has to be taken when interpreting the thermal history and fluid evolution of successions that were affected by significant recrystallization, because the clumped isotope temperatures and the calculated fluid compositions might inaccurately represent the diagenetic conditions.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists Grants-in-Aid Program, the Geological Society of America Graduate Student Research Grant Program, the International Association of Sedimentologists Post-Graduate Grant Scheme, and the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (Grant number OTKA K124313). SK was supported by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NKFIH, Hungary) (Grant number KH 125584). The authors are indebted to Tamás Budai, Michael Grammer, Gyula Konrád, James Puckette and Pankaj Sarin for their continued help and support. The comments and suggestions of reviewers Arthur Adams and Oliver Weidlich are greatly appreciated. This is an Oklahoma State University Boone Pickens School of Geology contribution #2020-115.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Boone Pickens School of Geology, Oklahoma State University, 105 Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA

    Georgina Lukoczki & Jay M. Gregg

  2. Kentucky Geological Survey, University of Kentucky, Mining and Mineral Resources Building, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA

    Georgina Lukoczki

  3. Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, Budapest, 1117, Hungary

    János Haas

  4. Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E3, Canada

    Hans G. Machel

  5. Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Institute for Geological and Geochemical Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budaörsi út 45, Budapest, 1112, Hungary

    Sándor Kele

  6. Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Rd, London, SW7 2BP, UK

    Cédric M. John

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  1. Georgina Lukoczki
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Lukoczki, G., Haas, J., Gregg, J.M. et al. Early dolomitization and partial burial recrystallization: a case study of Middle Triassic peritidal dolomites in the Villány Hills (SW Hungary) using petrography, carbon, oxygen, strontium and clumped isotope data. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 109, 1051–1070 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-020-01851-7

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