reflux

geology

Also known as: evaporative reflux

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Last updated

July 13, 2026

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The term "reflux" generally means a flowing back. In geology, a related concept is "evaporative reflux," which is a process where magnesium-rich brines, formed in hypersaline environments like sabkhas, flush downward through carbonate sediments. This process is believed to be a key mechanism in the formation of dolomite rocks from existing limestones, a process known as dolomitization. While the exact details of dolomitization are still debated, evaporative reflux plays a significant role in altering calcium carbonate minerals into dolomite.123

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sedimentary rock
Dolomites and dolomitization
…entire process is named evaporative reflux. Penecontemporaneous dolomites would result from the positioning of sabkhas and arid supratidal flats in a site that is in immediate contact with carbonate sediment; diagenetic dolomites would logically result when such dolomite-producing settings overlie older limestone deposits. The presence of fissures or highly permeable…
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…entire process is named evaporative reflux. Penecontemporaneous dolomites would result from the positioning of sabkhas and arid supratidal flats in a site that is in immediate contact with carbonate sediment; diagenetic dolomites would logically result when such dolomite-producing settings overlie older limestone deposits. The presence of fissures or highly permeable…
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