Minerais envolvidos nos processos de fossilização de vertebrados em cavernas carbonáticas brasileiras: modo e forma de ocorrência

Abstract

Caves formed in limestone rocks have several types of minerals inside them. Currently, about eight minerals are known, of which calcite, aragonite, hydromagnesite, gypsum, oxides/hydroxides and phosphates are among the most frequent minerals. The objective of the work was to analyze the fossilization processes in Quaternary mammal bones collected in these environments. The results showed the presence of calcite, dolomite, aragonite, clay minerals, intraclasts (carbonate rock fragment), and extraclasts (quartz). The results highlighted the importance of microscopic analysis, which allowed discriminating material types and minerals that had not been differentiated by macroscopic evaluation, improving the definition of minerals participating in the fossildiagenetic process of vertebrate bone fragments collected in carbonate caves.