High temperature mineralization in the bituminous limestone in Maqarin area - north Jordan.

A high-T mineralization zone has been found in the bituminous limestone beds on the S bank of the Yarmouk River. The minerals include maghemite, hematite, gibbsite, gypsum, bassanite, diopside-hedenbergite and torbermorite. Spontaneous combustion of the organic matter was possibly responsible for the high T. In siliceous limestone this led to the formation of calcium silicates such as wollastonite, spurrite and anorthite. In the absence of silica, calcination of the limestone took place and highly alkaline waters enriched with Ca and OH formed portlandite, ettringite, thaumasite and baryte. Calcite and apatite were recrystallized by the high T.-I.Kb.