Abstract
The travertines of the Fitero thermal springs, with more than 98% of aragonite in most of the samples, are studied in this paper. The main objective is to improve the general understanding of aragonite precipitation, since the deposits of almost pure aragonite are very scarce. This study presents a complete mineralogical and isotopic characterisation, including the evaluation of the δ18O and δ13C fractionation during precipitation, as valuable information for paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental studies. Samples of a laminated travertine deposit constituted by almost pure aragonite were taken from a pipe discharging water at 40 °C. Waters suffered an important CO2 outgassing, as suggested by the geochemical calculations and the δ13C values of travertines and waters. This outgassing triggers the oversaturation and precipitation of carbonate phases. Temperature seems to be the main factor controlling the precipitation of aragonite or calcite, as checked by studying another travertine sample with higher calcite content. Various δ18O isotope fractionation equations for aragonite and calcite were used. The results indicate that precipitation took place close to equilibrium according to some of these equations. The fact that the equilibrium is maintained in a natural system with an important CO2 loss is surprising. However, it can be explained by an HCO3−–water oxygen isotopic equilibrium and a direct transfer of the HCO3− isotope signal to the carbonate without fractionation due to the fast CO2 loss and precipitation. Finally, considering other natural aragonite samples, a fractionation equation is defined for natural aragonite in the temperature range between 23 and 80 °C.
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Notes
The terminology that will be used here is the one proposed by Ford and Pedley (1996) in which the term travertine is used to refer to the carbonates precipitated from thermal (hot) waters, while the term tufa is reserved for the carbonates precipitated from cold waters (e.g. rivers).
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Acknowledgements
M. Blasco has worked in this study thanks to a scholarship from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain, for the Training of University Teachers (ref. FPU14/01523). This study forms part of the activities of the Geochemical Modelling Group (University of Zaragoza; Aragón Government). Authors would like to acknowledge the use of “Servicio General de Apoyo a la Investigación-SAI, Universidad de Zaragoza” and the technical assistance of Enrique Oliver from the Earth Sciences Department of the University of Zaragoza. The helpfulness of the Becquer Spa staff during the sampling is also grateful.
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Blasco, M., Auqué, L.F., Gimeno, M.J. et al. Stable isotope characterisation of recent aragonite travertine deposits associated with the Fitero thermal waters (Spain). Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 109, 877–892 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-020-01834-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-020-01834-8