Dissolution of Carbonate Rocks in a Laboratory Setting: Rates and Textures

Abstract

Determining the dissolution rates of carbonate rocks is vital to advancing our understanding of cave, karst, and landscape processes. Furthermore, the role of carbonate dissolution is important for the global carbon budget and climate change. A laboratory experiment was setup to calculate the dissolution rates of two whole rock carbonate samples with different petrographic makeup (ooids and brachiopods). The carbonate rock samples were also explored under a scanning electron microscope to evaluate the textures that developed after dissolution The oolitic limestone dissolved at a rate of 1579 cm yr−1, and the pentamerous limestone (dolostone) dissolved at a rate of 799 cm yr−1. Both rocks did not dissolve evenly across their surface as indicated by scanning electron microscopy, it appears the allochems dissolved preferentially to the matrix/cement of the rocks and that some mechanical weathering happened as well. This work reports that the petrography and mineralogy of carbonate rocks is important to consider when exploring the cave, karst, and landscape evolution and that attention should be paid to the petrography of carbonate rocks when considering the global carbon budget.

Karst hazard assessment in the design of a residential complex in Moscow

“…First of all, it concerns the estimation of cavity growth rate in soluble rocks (i.e., their dissolution rate), which has recently been persistently cultivated as a necessary element of karst hazard assessment [17]. This criterion has not been evaluated for two reasons: firstly, it is meaningless in relation to limestones that have very low dissolution rates, and secondly, such an evaluation can only be correctly carried out experimentally in the field [18] or laboratory [19], which in these circumstances is difficult and time-consuming.…”

Millennial-scale climate variability in the Northern Hemisphere influenced glacier dynamics in the Alps around 250,000 years ago

“…Carbonate dissolution is comparatively faster than the residence time of water in the karst (saturation achieved in a few hours up to several days [88][89][90], so that equilibrium between CO 2 dissolved in the water and Ca 2þ ions should be always attained irrespective of the hydrological conditions (except possibly for drip sites dominated by fracture flow following heavy rainfall).…”

Characteristics of Dissolution Changes in Carbonate Rocks and Their Influencing Factors in the Maocun Basin, Guilin, China

“…Karst has received more and more attention from international scholars, and s research results have been achieved on carbonate rock dissolution experiments, which mainly focused on indoor simulation experiments. For example, Li, N.Y. et al [13], L et al [14], and Hyunsang et al [15] simulated the dissolution reaction indoors by usi rock disk rotating and moving relative to the solution; Erik B. Larson et al [16], in indoor study of carbonate dissolution rates, found that the petrography and minera of carbonate rocks affect their dissolution rates in a laboratory setting; Plummer et al found large differences in calcite dissolution rates and their mechanisms of change un different pCO2 conditions by studying the kinetic mechanisms of calcite dissolution doors; Yu, S. et al [18] showed that the dissolution rate of carbonate rocks was affecte rainwater acidity and rainfall via an experimental indoor dissolution study of carbo Karst has received more and more attention from international scholars, and some research results have been achieved on carbonate rock dissolution experiments, which are mainly focused on indoor simulation experiments. For example, Li, N.Y. et al [13], Li, Q. et al [14], and Hyunsang et al [15] simulated the dissolution reaction indoors by using a rock disk rotating and moving relative to the solution; Erik B. Larson et al [16], in an indoor study of carbonate dissolution rates, found that the petrography and mineralogy of carbonate rocks affect their dissolution rates in a laboratory setting; Plummer et al [17] found large differences in calcite dissolution rates and their mechanisms of change under different pCO 2 conditions by studying the kinetic mechanisms of calcite dissolution indoors; Yu, S. et al [18] showed that the dissolution rate of carbonate rocks was affected by rainwater acidity and rainfall via an experimental indoor dissolution study of carbonate rocks by acid rain in Guilin, China.…”