Formation of evaporites
Move sea water to restricted basin, where there is little recharge
Evaporate & concentrate dissolved solids to their solubility limits
Form salt crystals, which collect in layers of minerals (called evaporites)
Not important now, but was important in geologic past
- Silurian Salina Group in Appalachians & Michigan Basin, Triassic Muschelcalk in Alps, Jurassic in the Gulf coast
Evaporites remove masses of Na+1, Cl-1, Mg+2, SO4-2, HCO3-1 as halite (rock salt) & gypsum