Microfacies and diagenesis of the reefal limestone, Callovian Tuwaiq Mountain Limestone Formation, central Saudi Arabia

Journal Article

• المجلة \ الصحيفة: Journal of African Earth Sciences

مستخلص المنشور

In order to document the microfacies and diagenesis of the reefal limestone in the uppermost part of the
Callovian Tuwaiq Mountain Limestone Formation at Khashm Al-Qaddiyah area, central Saudi Arabia,
scleractinian corals and rock samples were collected and thin sections were prepared. Coral framestone,
coral floatstone, pelloidal packstone, bioclastic packstone, bioclastic wacke/packstone, algal wackestone
and bioclastic foraminiferal wacke/packstone were the recorded microfacies types. Cementation,
recrystallization, silicification and dolomitization are the main diagenetic alterations affected the
aragonitic skeletons of scleractinian corals. All coral skeletons were recrystallized, while some ones were
dolomitized and silicified. Microfacies types, as well as the fossil content of sclearctinian corals, bivalves,
gastropods, brachiopods and foraminifera indicated a deposition in environments ranging from shelf
lagoon with open circulation in quiet water below wave base to shallow reef flank and organic build up
for the uppermost reefal part of the Tuwaiq Formation in the study area.