Mineralogy and geochemistry of Permian–Triassic lateritic‐bauxitic horizons, eastern and central Alborz, Iran: Implications for provenance, palaeogeography, and palaeoclimate

Abstract

This paper presents a survey of geological attributes on the lateritic‐bauxitic deposits to examine their provenance, palaeogeography, and palaeoclimate condition in the Permian–Triassic boundary of Alborz Mountain, north Iran. The mineralogical analysis revealed that haematite, quartz, goethite, kaolinite, diaspore, boehmite, and anatase are the major rock‐forming minerals in these deposits. The major oxide composition of samples detected that enrichment of Al2O3 (up to 31.5%) and Fe2O3 (up to 37.9%) led to the formation of laterite, kaolinitic laterite, and bauxitic kaolinite. The distribution of trace and rare elements provides information about the enrichment of deposits concerning immobile elements. Employing geochemical proxies such as Al2O3/TiO2, bivariate diagrams of Eu/Eu* versus Sm/Nd and TiO2/Al2O3, enrichment of samples relative to heavy rare earth elements, and positive Eu anomaly revealed that the deposits originated from intermediate to mafic rocks. Several factors are inferred to be responsible for the transformation of parent rock(s) into lateritic‐bauxitic deposits: The high values of CIA, CIW, and PIA (mostly above 80) and increase of kaolinite point to deep to moderate parent rock(s) weathering, which is consistent with warming and humidity around the Permian–Triassic boundary. In continuation, transportation and trapping of weathered materials above the karstified carbonate bedrock of the Ruteh Formation and environmental interactions induced the formation of new minerals in a transitional environment near the vadose zone. The deposits have a generic correspondence with Palaeotethys Oceanic crustal subduction due to tectonic uplift, exhumation of bedrock, and regional sea‐level fall at the end of Palaeozoic that offered an opportunity for lateritization process.