Island-Reef Carbonate Systems: Facies, Diagenesis, and Dolomitization Processes

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Crystallography and Physical Chemistry of Minerals & Nanominerals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 26

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
Interests: dolomitization; carbonate sedimentology; diagenesis

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Guest Editor
College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
Interests: carbonate sedimentology; Precambrian; microbial carbonate

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Guest Editor
Department of Geology, Saint Mary's University, Halifax, NS B3H 3C3, Canada
Interests: carbonate sedimentology; diagenesis; climatology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Island–reef carbonate systems (e.g., atolls, isolated platforms, rimmed shelves) are critical archives of Earth's history, biodiversity hotspots, and significant reservoirs for hydrocarbons and water resources. Their complex evolution—controlled by biological, physical, chemical, and climatic factors—shapes unique facies distributions and drives intricate diagenetic alterations, including pervasive dolomitization. Understanding these processes is essential for reconstructing past environments, predicting reservoir quality, and assessing carbon sequestration potential.

This Special Issue seeks to publish high-quality contributions that advance our knowledge of modern and ancient island–reef carbonate systems. We invite multidisciplinary studies addressing the following topics:

  • Facies Architecture: Spatial/temporal heterogeneity, depositional models, and controls on carbonate production.
  • Diagenetic Processes: Fluid-rock interactions, cementation, dissolution, and porosity evolution from marine to burial environments.
  • Dolomitization Mechanisms: New models, geochemical signatures and constraints, and hydrologic, geochemical, and geobiological factors influencing dolomite formation.
  • Integrated Approaches: Field, petrographic, geochemical, isotopic, experimental and numerical studies linking facies, diagenesis, and dolomitization.

We welcome research illuminating the interplay between depositional systems and post-depositional modifications to enhance predictive models for resource exploration and paleoenvironmental reconstruction.

Dr. Rui Wang
Dr. Min Ren
Dr. Simone Booker
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • island–reef carbonate systems
  • facies
  • diagenesis
  • dolomitization
  • climatology
  • environment

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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