TRAVERTINES OF THE NORTHERN CAUCASUS

Abstract

Mineralogical and isotope-chemical characteristics of carbonate travertines of the Greater Caucasus are investigated. It is shown that concentrations of many chemical elements, which predominantly precipitate together with iron hydroxides, decrease along the strike of the travertine dome. At the same time, δ13C and 18O values in carbonates systematically increase due to kinetic effects of isotope fractionation. This leads to the formation of isotopically heavy calcite (δ13C up to 16.3‰) near the travertine dome base. Concentrations of other elements (Mg, Sr, Ba, Na, S, and Li), which form a isomorphic part of calcite crystal lattice, almost do not change along the strike of the dome. Comparison of concentrations of these elements in travertines and initial water solutions makes it possible to get ideas on trends of their redistribution in the carbonate-water system. Correlations found in this work define not only TDS content and concentration of some ions, but also REE spectra and formation temperatures of ancient fluid systems. © Pleiades Publishing, Inc., 2006.