Carbonate Sediments and Their Diagenesis (Developments in Sedimentology, 12)

Carbonate Sediments and Their Diagenesis (Developments in Sedimentology, 12). R.G.C. BATHURSt. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1971, 640 pp., 24 tables, 359 illus., 1200 lit. refs., Dfl. 90.00 This book effectively demonstrates that carbonate sedimentology has come of age. I recall that only sixteen years ago when a major petroleum company asked me to become an "expert" on limestones it took relatively little effort to qualify. Despite such pioneering works as those of Bruno Sander, Johannes Walther, L. Cayeux, and J. Pia, which I had to read in either German or French, relatively little was known about the classification, genesis, and diagenesis of carbonate sediments and limestones. During the past sixteen years this subject has advanced to a level where it stands today as the most sophisticated field of sedimentology. Much of the credit for this rapid advance belongs to the initiative of the American Oil industry which recognized the need for work in this field and supported its development. Although Bathurst never worked for the oil industry, the industry "discovered" him when he first published a classical paper on carbonate fabrics in an obscure journal. After his initial paper Bathurst was a frequent guest in North America at the invitation of the companies and among his closest friends are sedimentologists who were formerly, and are still today, with the companies. Without the direct and indirect support of the petroleum industry this book would not have been possible. I wished that in the preface the petroleum companies would have been acknowledged. This book deals with two subjects: (1) modern carbonate sediments; and (2) carbonate diagenesis. It does not concern itself with the interpretation of ancient limestones. Hence, as an important part of any graduate course on carbonate sedimentology includes the study of ancient limestones, Bathurst's book is incomplete. The book consists of thirteen chapters, a useful glossary of sedimentological terms not defined in the text, the reference section, and the index. The chapters are as follows: Chapter 1. Petrography of carbonate grains, 1. Skeletal structures; Chapter 2. Petrography of carbonate grains, 2. O6ids, pisolites, peloids and other micritic fabrics; Chapter 3. Recent carbonate environments, 1. General introduction and the Great Bahama Bank; Chapter 4. Recent carbonate environments, 2. Florida, Gulf of Batabano, Persian Gulf, British Honduras; Chapter 5. Recent carbonate algal stromatolites; Chapter 6. Some chemical considerations; Chapter 7. Growth of o6ids, pisolites and grapestone; Chapter 8. Diagenesis in the subaerial, fresh-water environment; Chapter 9. Diagenesis on the sea floor; Chapter 10. Cementation; Chapter 11. Pressure-solution; Chapter 12. Neomorphic processes in diagenesis; Chapter 13. Recent dolomites. This book is one of the truely competent syntheses in m o d e m geology,

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hence it will be an instant success. It is a careful, meticulous study and as the reader pages through this book he becomes progressively more impressed with its scholarship. Although I am familiar with most of the subject matter covered in this book I constantly asked myself how any one individual can digest and assimilate so much material. Yet throughout this book Bathurst's point of view comes through. Although I consider this book one of the most exciting recent contributions to sedimentology I found some inconsistency in philosophy. The title "Carbonate Sediments and Their Diagenesis" is not inclusive of the subject matter covered. Carbonate sediments, as treated in this book, consist of loose particles or of instant "stones", such as reefs, as they form in the depositional environment. Considering the title of the book the author implies that he restricts himself to sediments. Yet much space is devoted to diagenetic changes which limestone rocks undergo, such as stylolitization and various kinds of "recrystallization". In the second half of the book most photographs are those of ancient limestones. Somewhere in the book the author should have explained his digression from sediments to rock. An omission is the entire subject of fresh-water carbonate sediments which has been so carefully treated by Pia in his now classical book on carbonate sediments, nor is there any reference to the pioneering book of Johannes Walther (1893-94), a classical predecessor on carbonate sediments. This book has been beautifully prepared; it is printed on nice paper, and all the illustrations are excellent. In m y opinion this book will become a classic in geology. I take off my hat! GERALD M. FRIEDMAN(Troy, N.Y.)