Abstract
Naturally acid saline systems with pH values between 1.7 and 4 are common on the Yilgarn Craton of southern Western Australia. a combination of physical and chemical processes here yield a previously undescribed type of modern sedimentary environment. Flooding, evapoconcentration, desiccation, and eolian transport at the surface, as well as influx of acid saline groundwaters, strongly influence these lakes. Halite, gypsum, kaolinite, and iron oxides precipitate from acid hypersaline lake waters. Shallow acid saline groundwaters affect the sediments of the lakes and associated mudflats, sandflats, channels, and dunes by precipitating early diagenetic halite, gypsum, iron oxides, clays, jarosite, and alunite. These modern environments would likely yield a rock record composed mostly of bedded red siliciclastic and reworked gypsum sand, alternating with less common beds of bottom-growth gypsum and halite, with alteration by early diagenetic features diagnostic of acid saline waters. This documentation of sedimentary processes and products of modern acid saline environments is an addition to the comparative sedimentology knowledge base and an expansion of the traditional models for classifying brines. Implications include better interpretations of terrestrial redbeds and lithified martian strata, improved acid remediation methods, new models for the formation and occlusion of pores, and the new setting for finding previously undescribed extremophiles.
Recommended Citation
K. C. Benison et al., "Sedimentology of Acid Saline Lakes in Southern Western Australia: Newly Described Processes and Products of an Extreme Environment," Journal of Sedimentary Research, vol. 77, no. 5-6, pp. 366 - 388, Society for Sedimentary Geology, Mar 2007.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.2110/jsr.2007.038
Department(s)
Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering
Second Department
Biological Sciences
Keywords and Phrases
Extremophile; Gypsum; Halite; Iron Oxide; Kaolinite; Precipitation (Chemistry); Remediation; Saline Lake; Sediment Yield; Sedimentology; Australasia; Australia; Western Australia; Yilgarn Block; Extreme environments; Sedimentology
Geographic Coverage
Western Australia
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
1527-1404
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Final Version
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2007 Society for Sedimentary Geology, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 Mar 2007
