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Thermochemical sulphate reduction in the Upper Devonian Cairn Formation of the Fairholme carbonate complex (South-West Alberta, Canadian Rockies): evidence from fluid inclusions and isotopic data |
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| Authors: | VEERLE VANDEGINSTE RUDY SWENNEN SARAH A GLEESON† ROB M ELLAM‡ KIRK OSADETZ§ FRANÇOIS ROURE¶ |
| Institution: | Afdeling Geologie, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium (E-mail: ); Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G 2E3; Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G750QF, UK; Geological Survey of Canada, 3303, 33rd Street N.W., Calgary, AB, Canada; Institut Français du Pétrole, 1&4 avenue de Bois-Préau, 92852 Rueil-Malmaison Cedex, France |
| Abstract: | The Fairholme carbonate complex is part of the extensively dolomitized Upper Devonian carbonate reefs in west-central Alberta. The studied formations contain moulds (up to 10 cm in diameter), which are filled partially with (saddle) dolomite, quartz and calcite cements. These cements precipitated from a mixture of brines that acquired high salinity by dissolution of halite and brines derived from evaporated sea water. The fluids were warm (homogenization temperature of primary fluid inclusions of 76 to 200 °C) and saline (20 to 25 wt% NaCl equivalent) and testify to thermochemical sulphate reduction processes. The latter is deduced from S in solid inclusions, CO |
| Keywords: | Dolomite fluid inclusions stable and radiogenic isotopes thermochemical sulphate reduction Western Canada Sedimentary Basin |