Dawsonite formation in the Beier Sag, Hailar Basin, NE China tuff: A natural analog for mineral carbon storage

•The tuffaceous sandstone and tuff in Beier Sag, Hailar Basin contain 5–25% dawsonite.•The main occurrence of dawsonite is replacing feldspars.•The δ13C of dawsonite is −4.1‰ to −2.2‰ PDB and represents magmatic CO2 origin.•Volcanic fragments contribute to the capacity of mineral trapping of CO2.

We determined the rock types, the authigenic minerals, the paragenetic sequence, and the origin of dawsonite in pyroclastic rocks from the Yimin Formation of Beier Sag in the Hailar Basin, China. Dawsonite, a diagenetic mineral, is thought to result from a large influx of CO2 and, therefore, this system represents a natural analogue for in-situ mineral carbon storage. The studied host rocks are mainly tuffs/tuffaceous sandstones which now contain up to 70 vol% authigenic carbonates, including dawsonite, ankerite, and siderite. The initial alteration of the tuffs yielded minor siderite. Kaolinite, illite and mixed illite/smectite then formed as product phases. Dawsonite and quartz subsequently precipitated in response to CO2 influx apparently coupled to feldspar and perhaps kaolinte dissolution. Dawsonite reaches a maximum 25 vol% of the bulk rock. Mass balance suggests that this CO2 influx was coupled to the external import of sodium and export of SiO2. Ankerite and additional siderite precipitated during the late-stage alkaline diagenesis. The carbon isotope values of the dawsonite are in the range −4.1‰ to −2.2‰, indicating the magmatic origin of the CO2. Vitrinite reflectance and thermal gradient constraints suggest that the dawsonite at this location formed at a temperature of ∼75 °C.