What is the inverse order of evaporite deposition?

The correct answer reflects the sequence in which evaporite minerals typically precipitate from evaporating seawater or other saline solutions. As water evaporates, the concentration of dissolved minerals increases, leading to the precipitation of salts and minerals in a specific order based on their solubility.

Sylvite, being less soluble than halite, precipitates out after halite. Halite forms next as the water's salinity increases, allowing for its crystallization. Anhydrite, which has low solubility, precipitates after halite as more water is lost, increasing concentrations further. Finally, calcite, while commonly precipitated under various conditions, tends to precipitate later in evaporitic sequences compared to the salts.

This order is essential in understanding the processes of mineral deposition and the environmental conditions that affect these changes. Thus, recognizing this pattern aids in predicting the mineral composition of evaporite sequences in geological formations.