Calcium Carbonate

Deposition in Oceans

Kartikeya Tiwari

08BT01209
Calcium Carbonate
 Aragonite
• Chemistry: CaCO3, Calcium Carbonate
• Class: Carbonates
• Group: Aragonite
• Uses: minor constituent of limestone which is used in
cement and in steel production, ornamental carvings
and as mineral specimens.

• Crystal structure of aragonite. O is

red, Ca blue and C
black. Carbonate
groups are black triangles.
• Aragonite is a polymorph of calcite
• Aragonite is thermodynamically unstable at
standard temperature and pressure
• Aragonite's crystal lattice is an orthorhombic
system with acicular crystals. Repeated twinning
results in pseudo-hexagonal forms

• 3D structure of Aragonite
Aragonite Crystal
 Calcite
 

• Chemistry: CaCO3, Calcium Carbonate

• Class: Carbonates
• Group: Calcite
• Uses: In cements and mortars, production of lime,
limestone is used in the steel industry; glass industry,
ornamental stone, chemical and optical uses and as
mineral specimens
• Calcite may be transparent or opaque and may
occasionally show phosphorescence or fluorescence
• Calcite is a major rock-forming mineral and has a
number of crystal forms.
• Calcite is the principal component of limestone,
marble and other calcareous sedimentary rocks.
• Calcite can also be determined by testing with
dilute hydrochloric acid, a small drop will dissolve
and effervesces readily.

The unit cell of calcite

 CALCITE: more heterogeneous than

Calcite crystal
Aragonite

•
Structural Differences
 Foraminifera
• Tiny sea creatures, producing shell or
‘test’, having either one or multiple
chambers.
• These shells are made up of Calcium
Carbonate( CaCO3) or sediment
particles.
• Helps to find:
 Potential oil deposits
 Different Ages
 Coccoliths
• Coccoliths are individual plates of calcium
carbonate formed by coccolhtopores(single
cell algae) which are arranged around them
in a coccosphers.
• Function-
 defence against infection by bacteria or
viruses
 release of carbon dioxide for
photosynthesis;
 to filter out harmful UV light.
Coccoliths
 Pteropods
• An ocean gastropod mollusc that has
foot with winged shaped lobes that
uses as swimming organs
• Float and swim freely in the water,
and are carried along with the
currents.
Pteropods
The White cliffs of Dover, England
surrounded by calcium carbonate
chalk
 Factors controlling CaCO3
deposition
• Regional distribution in deep sea sediments
Topographically high- Rich CaCo3
Organically productive area – Rich CaCo3
Aragonite basin- Low CaCo3

Balance of these three factors determines the final CaCo3

concentration
CCD (Carbonate Compensation
Depth)
The CCD is the depth at which calcareous
skeletons of marine animals accumulate at
the same rate at which they dissolve.
Depending on the mineral structure of
CaCO3, the CCD is called calcite
compensation depth (trigonal structure) or
aragonite compensation depth (rhombic
structure), respectively.
Gradual decrease up to 4500m but after that
there is rapid decrease in concentration. It is
called as compensation depth
Seawater Carbonate System
 CT and Alk are
measurable quantities.
If they are known then
the system is
completely defined.
Mass
Conservation:

Alkalinity
Thank You