Abstract:The Lower Ordovician Aguathuna Formation (*100 m thick) is formed of shallow-marine carbonates, which constitute the uppermost part of the St. George Group of western Newfoundland. Sedimentation was paused by a major subaerial exposure (St. George Unconformity), which likely developed a significant pore system in the underlying carbonates by meteoric dissolution. The sequence has been affected by multiphase dolomitization that caused complex changes in the rock porosity. The Aguathuna dolomites are classified into three main generations ranging in crystal size between *4 mm and 2 mm. The occurrence of fabric-retentive dolomicrites implies that dolomitization likely started during the early stages of diagenesis. Although dolomitization is pervasive in the upper part of the formation and significantly occludes the pores, some intervals in the lower part have higher porosity. The development of lower permeable layers overlain by an impermeable (seal) cap suggests a possible potential diagenetic trap. Unlike sabkha deposits, the Aguathuna carbonates do not have evaporite interlayers. Furthermore, the low Sr contents (*96 ppm) and the 18 O values of earlier dolomites (-3.3% to -6.9% VPDB (Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite)) are also difficult to reconcile with a brine origin. The Sr/Ca molar ratios (0.0067-0.0009), calculated for the earliest dolomitizing fluid, suggest a modified seawater origin, likely mixed sea and meteoric waters. The least radiogenic 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values of the earliest dolomite are consistent with those of early Ordovician seawater, which supports an early-stage diagenesis. Petrography, geochemistry, and fluid inclusions of the late dolomites suggest precipitation at higher temperatures (*73-95 8C) in deeper burial environments from hydrothermal solutions.Résumé : La Formation d'Aguathuna (Ordovicien inférieur), d'une épaisseur *100 m, est composée de carbonates marins d'eau peu profonde; ces carbonates constituent la partie supérieure du Groupe de St. George de l'Ouest de Terre-Neuve. La sédimentation a été arrêtée par une exposition subaérienne majeure (discordance de St. George), ce qui a vraisemblablement conduit au développement d'un important système de pores dans les carbonates sous-jacents par dissolution mété-orique. La séquence a été affectée par plusieurs phases de dolomitisation qui ont causé des changements complexes à la porosité de la roche. Les dolomites d'Aguathuna sont classifiées selon trois générations principales dont la dimension des cristaux varie de *4 mm à 2 mm. La présence de dolomicrites qui retiennent la texture implique que la dolomitisation a probablement débuté durant les premières phases de la diagenèse. Bien que la dolomitisation soit pénétrante dans la partie supérieure de la formation et ait bouché les pores de manière significative, quelques intervalles dans la partie inférieure ont une porosité plus élevée. Le développement de couches inférieures perméables sur lequel repose une couche impermé-able (un scellement) suggère un potentiel piège diagénétique. Cont...
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