Friedman, G. (1998). Rapidity of marine carbonate cementation-implic ations for
carbonate diagenesis and sequence stratigraphy: perspective: Sedimentary
Geology, v. 119, no. 1-4, pp. 1-4.
There is debate on how much time lithification takes. Accounts of carbonate
lithification say that the process is rapid, while other researchers say that lithification
requires long periods of time. Friedman tells of his account with lithification while on a
visit to Joulter’s Cay, Bahamas. On a previous year’s excursion, Friedman placed a
sardine can in an area of sea-level highstands. He found the sardine can one year later
and found that it was lithified with approximately 382 g of hard oolitic limestone
comprised mostly of aragonite. The results of this have huge implications. This proves
that lithification can be a rapid process, depending on conditions.