Abstract
Black microbiolites (stromatolites and oncoids) are common constituents within the 800m thick Pennsylvanian Panther Seep Formation. This formation, which is composed of cyclically repeated sandstones, carbonates, and shales, crops out in south-central New Mexico, U.S.A. The deposits range from those that accumulated within semi-arid to arid tidal flats, cut by small fluvial channels, to evaporitive lagoonal and open shallow marine depositional environments. The microbiolites accumulated predominantly as tidal flat and very shallow subtidal deposits. The black color of these microbiolites is prominent on the outcrop. Unfortunately, on the microscopic scale, the organic matter as well as diagenetic alteration obscures many of the internal structures and fabrics of these organosedimentary features. However, the use of the very simple “white card” technique clearly brings out the occult structures and fabrics and thus permits detailed description of the original fabric of the individual crystals as well as their aggregate morphology. The relict fabric indicates that the microbiolites were originally composed of aragonitic crystals. This interpretation is supported by the high relict Sr content of the present diagenetic lowmagnesian calcitic material. Thus, initially, these microbiolites were essentially totally composed of aragonitic crystals which precipitated perpendicularly to the mucilaginous substrate within the microbiolites.
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Chafetz, H.S., Rush, P.F. & Schoderbek, D. Occult aragonitic fabrrics and structures within microbiolites, Pennsylvanian Panther Seep Formation, San Andres Mountains, New Mexico, U.S.A.. Carbonates Evaporites 8, 123–134 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03175170
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03175170