Near-surface diagenesis of ophiolite-derived conglomerates of the Barzaman Formation, United Arab Emirates: a natural analogue for permanent CO2 sequestration via mineral carbonation of ultramafic rocks

Lacinska, Alicja Magdalena; Styles, Michael Thomas; Farrant, Andrew Roger. 2014 Near-surface diagenesis of ophiolite-derived conglomerates of the Barzaman Formation, United Arab Emirates: a natural analogue for permanent CO2 sequestration via mineral carbonation of ultramafic rocks. In: Rollinson, H.R., (ed.) Tectonic evolution of the Oman Mountains. London, UK, Geological Society of London, 343-360. (Geological Society Special Publication, 392).

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Abstract/Summary

Carbon capture and storage by mineralization is a potential method for storing anthropogenic CO2 emissions, and is based on the reaction between Mg silicate and CO2 to form Mg carbonate. The conglomerates of the Barzaman Formation exposed in the eastern United Arab Emirates represent an excellent natural analogue of this process. These conglomerates were deposited as a series of alluvial fans along the western margin of the Hajar Mountains, part of the Oman-UAE Ophiolite, and are composed largely of ultramafic and lesser-mafic clasts. The clasts and matrix have been extensively altered to dolomite during diagenetic processes. Analysis and interpretation of rock textures provide evidence for the various factors that influenced the diagenetic processes and shed light on the silicate–carbonate transformation process. All the reactions have taken place in the near-surface environment; the silicate–carbonate conversion reaction is exothermic and occurs spontaneously at near-ambient pressure and temperature, probably no greater than 50 °C. Estimates of the amount of CO2 stored in this way can be obtained from considerations of outcrop area, formation thickness and percentage of dolomite replacement, and show that c. 150 billion tonnes (equivalent to about 4 years of worldwide CO2 emissions at current rates) are stored.

Item Type:	Publication - Book Section
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1144/SP392.18
ISBN:	9781862393783
Date made live:	12 May 2014 12:58 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/506262

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