Abstract

Carbonate sediments in general and coral reefs in particular are subjected to mechanical, biological, and diagenetic destructive processes throughout their depositional and post-depositional history. Chalkification is a process which results in the formation of large quantities of chalky material as a result of either biological destruction (micritization) or diagenetic destruction (calichification) of pre-existing depositional facies. Micritization and calichification are characterized by distinctly different macroscopic and microscopic textures and fabrics. These features allow the identification of micritization as opposed to calichification when seen in cored sequences and thin sections. Micritization and calichification are indicators of certain broad environmental parameters. The recognition and distinction of micritized or calichified carbonate sequences has a number of implications for the construction of carbonate facies models and the evaluation of their reservoir potential.