Geochemistry of the Lower Cretaceous Chaswood Formation, Nova Scotia, Canada: provenance and diagenesisGeological Survey of Canada Contribution 20080004.

Abstract

The fluvial Chaswood Formation records a complex history of tectonic reactivation of basement horsts and shedding of clastic sediment. Previous mineralogical studies indicate sources from both local and more distant basement rocks of the Appalachians. Because such mineralogical studies identify only particular source rocks, the geochemistry of 60 samples from a complete section through the Chaswood Formation in borehole RR-97-23 was investigated to determine the character of bulk sediment supply. The detrital signature is partially obscured by diagenetic processes that caused concentration of K, P, Sr, and U at three regional unconformities. The elements Ti (in ilmenite and its alteration products), Zr (in zircon), Th, and Y are largely controlled by the abundance of heavy minerals in the rocks. Ilmenite is the dominant first-cycle heavy mineral, whereas much of the zircon is of polycyclic origin; therefore, the Ti/Zr ratio is a guide to the proportion of first-cycle sediment supply from crystalline basement. High Cr, Sr, and Ni/Co ratio in mudstones appear related to supply from weathered mafic crystalline basement. Three cycles of sediment supply are recognized, each overlying a regional unconformity. These reflect uplift of horsts that resulted first in shedding of readily eroded Carboniferous sandstones, then rapid erosion of crystalline basement and, finally, greater supply of deeply weathered regolith. This study provides a template for interpreting more distal sediments in the Scotian Basin, where the direct effects of source-area tectonics are not recorded in the stratigraphic succession.Résumé : La Formation fluviale de Chaswood enregistre un historique complexe de réactivation tectonique de horsts du socle et de délestage de sédiments clastiques. Des études minéralogiques antérieures indiquent des sources provenant de roches du socle, local et éloigné, des Appalaches. É tant donné que de telles études minéralogiques n'identifient que des roches sources spécifiques, la géochimie de 60 échantillons d'une section complète à travers la Formation de Chaswood dans le forage RR-97-23 a été étudiée afin de déterminer le caractère de l'approvisionnement en vrac des sédiments. La signature détritique est partiellement masquée par les processus diagénétiques, lesquels sont responsables de la concentration de K, P, Sr et U à trois discordances régionales. Les éléments Ti (dans l'ilménite et ses produits d'altération), Zr (dans le zircon) ainsi que Th et Y sont contrôlés en grande partie par l'abondance des minéraux lourds dans les roches. L'ilménite est le minéral lourd dominant du premier cycle, alors que qu'une grande portion du zircon est d'origine polycyclique; le rapport Ti/Zr est donc un guide de la proportion des sédiments du premier cycle provenant du socle cristallin. Les teneurs élevées de Cr, de Sr et du rapport Ni/Co dans les mudstones semblent reliées à l'approvisionnement à partir d'un socle mafique cristallin altéré. Trois cycles d'apport de sédiments sont reconnus, chacun reposant sur une discordanc...

Geochemical and Petrographical Characteristics of the Madzaringwe Formation Coal, Mudrocks and Sandstones in the Vele Colliery, Limpopo Province, South Africa: Implications for Tectonic Setting, Provenance and Paleoweathering

“…Calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), and potassium (K) are largely removed from source rocks during chemical weathering and the amount of these elements remaining in the sediments derived from the rocks aided as an indicator of the intensity of chemical weathering [36]. If siliciclastic sedimentary rocks are free from alkali related post-depositional modifications, their alkali contents (K 2 O + Na 2 O) and K 2 O/Na 2 O ratios should be considered as reliable indicators of the intensity of the source material weathering [37]. A few indices of weathering have been proposed based on the molecular proportions of mobile and immobile element oxides (Na 2 O, CaO, K 2 O, and Al 2 O 3 ) to determine the degree of source rock weathering.…”