STEM investigation of exsolution lamellae and "c" reflections in Ca-rich dolomite from the Platteville Formation, western Wisconsin

TL;DR

This study investigates the microstructural and compositional heterogeneity of Ca-rich dolomite from the Platteville Formation, revealing exsolution lamellae formation during diagenesis and clarifying the origin of

Contribution

It provides new insights into the microstructural features and diffraction phenomena of Ca-rich dolomite, especially the origin of

Findings

Ca-rich dolomite contains Mg-rich calcite lamellae formed during diagenesis.

Abstract

Dolomite crystals in partially dolomitized limestone from the Platteville Formation are both compositionally and microstructurally heterogeneous. A single dolomite crystal usually contains three phases: the host Ca-rich dolomite [Ca1.14Mg0.86(CO3)2], an Fe-bearing dolomite [Ca1.06Mg0.80Fe0.14(CO3)2], and calcite inclusions. These three phases show similar orientations. The Ca-rich dolomite exhibits modulated microstructures with wavelength ranging from 7 to 30 nm. The modulated microstructures are not evident in Fe-bearing dolomite. Modulations in the Ca-rich dolomite have three predominant orientation ranges in the studied sample: from (205) to (104), from (001) to (-101), and ~(110), which are consistent with previous studies. Bright-field (BF) and high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) images confirm that these modulations are due to chemical variation rather than strain or diffraction contrast. The Ca-rich lamellae are Mg-rich calcite with compositions ranging from Ca0.85Mg0.15CO3 to Ca0.70Mg0.30CO3. The observed results indicate that these Ca-rich exsolution lamellae formed during diagenesis. In this study, three kinds of "c"-reflections, which are weak spots in the halfway position between the principal reflections along the (104)*, (112)*, and (110)* directions, have been found in the diffraction patterns of some Ca-rich dolomite. Mg-Ca ordering in x-y planes was not observed directly in Z-contrast images. FFT patterns from the Z-contrast images do not show "c"-reflections. STEM images confirm that the "c"-reflections could result from multiple diffraction between the host dolomite and twinned Mg-calcite nano-lamellae under TEM imaging and diffraction modes.