Ulster White Limestone Formation (Upper Cretaceous) of Northern Ireland: Effects of basalt loading on chalk diagenesis

The Ulster White Limestone Formation is an unusual chalk because it underwent a period of post-depositional emergence and erosion, followed by burial under 1.5-2.0 km of Tertiary basalts. A high degree of pressure solution and cementation produced a well-lithified limestone with low porosities (2.3-10.4%). The Ulster White Limestone shows no evidence of thermally induced textural alteration, except for thin (<0.5 m) pseudospar contact recrystallization zones adjoining basalt dykes. Whole-rock delta(18)O values of samples not associated with basalt dykes range from - 3.26 parts per thousand to - 6.50 parts per thousand (PDB). The delta(18)O values of macropore cements range from - 4.96 parts per thousand to - 11.52 parts per thousand (mean=-8.27 parts per thousand). Modelling of the diagenesis of the Ulster White Limestone using trace element concentrations and carbon, oxygen and strontium isotopic ratios of whole rock and cement samples suggests a low water-rock ratio and either marine or mixed marine-meteoric pore water environment during the main episode of recrystallization. The maximum possible burial temperature was modelled to be similar or equal to 105 degrees C. The diagenetic history of the Ulster White Limestone is similar to that of North Sea chalks that are at comparable burial depths as the Ulster White Limestone after basalt deposition. The geochemical data show no indication of hydrothermal alteration associated with the overlying basalts. The degree of alteration of fine-grained limestones composed predominantly of low-magnesium calcite, such as the Cretaceous/Tertiary chalks, appears to be controlled largely by the burial (effective stress) history of the limestone.