Chemistry and crystallography of carbonate minerals. The effect of environmental factors (e.g. solution composition and temperature) on the morphology and composition of calcite is investigated experimentally. The results help us to relate compositional zoning patterns in natural carbonate minerals (including dolomite) to specific growth mechanism and eventually determine the conditions that controlled their crystallization. Techniques involved include cathodoluminescence microscopy, electron probe microanalysis, differential interference contrast microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.