From a rock to a hard place: how carbonate rocks are born and made

James Hutton recognised that some components of sedimentary rocks have a biological and marine origin as they contain ‘ solid parts ’ (mainly calcite) of past sea life, and so might offer an archive of Earth's history. Much current research effort on carbonate rocks, those that are dominantly calcite and dolomite, has focussed on the application of diverse imaging and geochemical techniques designed to reveal Earth's record of changing oceanic chemistry, climate, tectonics and carbon cycle dynamics. Hutton's ideas of cyclicity, constant renewal, and the interconnectedness of the Earth System are indeed readily apparent in our modern understanding of carbonate rocks as the major store of carbon on Earth, so connecting the unique characteristics of Earth's atmosphere, life, and plate tectonics.