Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Sedimentology Of Acid Saline Lakes In Southern Western Australia: Newly Described Processes And Products Of An Extreme Environment, Kathleen Counter Benison, Brenda Beitler Bowen, Francisca Oboh-Ikuenobe, Elliot A. Jagniecki, Deidre A. Laclair, Stacy L. Story, Melanie R. Mormile, Boyoung Hong

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Naturally acid saline systems with pH values between 1.7 and 4 are common on the Yilgarn Craton of southern Western Australia. a combination of physical and chemical processes here yield a previously undescribed type of modern sedimentary environment. Flooding, evapoconcentration, desiccation, and eolian transport at the surface, as well as influx of acid saline groundwaters, strongly influence these lakes. Halite, gypsum, kaolinite, and iron oxides precipitate from acid hypersaline lake waters. Shallow acid saline groundwaters affect the sediments of the lakes and associated mudflats, sandflats, channels, and dunes by precipitating early diagenetic halite, gypsum, iron oxides, clays, jarosite, and alunite. …