Surface Textures of Quartz and Heavy-Mineral Grains from Fresh-Water Environments: An Application of Scanning Electron Microscopy

Stieglitz, Ronald D.

doi:10.1130/0016-7606(1969)80[2091:stoqah]2.0.co;2

Cited by 11 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…With further etching, the pits have coalesced to produce a regular surface with features similar to the imbricate wedge markings of Rahmani (1973). Etch pits on garnets have been described in previous SEM studies (Stieglitz 1969;Setlow and Karpovich 1972;Rahmani 1973;Simpson 1976). In many cases these etch pits are described as being irregularly distributed over grain surfaces, and Rahmani (1973) suggests that their development is not controlled by mineral crystallography.…”

Section: Garnetmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…Stieglitz (1969), Setlow (1971) and Setlow and Karpovich (1972) have attempted to relate heavy mineral grain surface microtextures and depositional environment in the same way as Krinsley and D o o r n k a m p (1973) have for quartz, whereas the studies by Rahmani (1973) and H e m i n g w a y and Tamar-Agha (1975) are more concerned with the effects of post-depositional solution on heavy mineral grains.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

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Surface features of heavy mineral grains from Palaeocene sands of the central North Sea

Morton¹

1979

SJG

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Synopsis Scanning electron microscopy has revealed both mechanically and chemically produced surface textures on heavy mineral grains from Palaeocene sands of the central North Sea basin. Chemical activity initially modified irregular surfaces, producing mamillae. Further solution produced regular facets, the dimensions of which increase with intensity of etching. Variations in composition of the connate waters are thought responsible for slight variations in etching style. Mechanically-produced surface features similar to those seen on quartz grains, including breakage blocks, V-shaped indentations, grooves, upturned cleavage plates and conchoidal fractures, mostly originated in a pre-Palaeocene phase of sedimentation. The possibility of retention of pre-existing surface textures on grains during the sedimentation process must therefore be considered when using such textures in palaeoenvironmental interpretation.

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Section: Garnetmentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Surface features of heavy mineral grains from Palaeocene sands of the central North Sea

Morton¹

1979

SJG

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“…(1971). By reference to these and other papers (Morton (1979) for Hornblende, apatite and rutile; Stieglitz (1969) for amphibole, garnet and magnetite; Steiglitz and Rothwell (1972) and Lin et al (1974) an accurate relationship between the surface texture of heavy minerals and environmental significance can be construed, bearing in mind the complication of inherent structural and chemical weakness in these detrital minerals. A somewhat separate debate has developed concerning the recognition and relevant environmental interpretation of chattermark trails found on the surfaces of garnet grains (Folk, 1975;.…”

Section: Main Methodsmentioning

confidence: 96%

Environmental reconstruction by electron microscopy

Bull

1981

Progress in Physical Geography: Earth and Environment

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“…Because silica dissolves rapidly above pH = 9 (Krauskopf, 1959), etch pits have been used as a marine indicator (Blackwelder & Pilkey, 1972;Fillon, Ferguson & Thomas, 1978;Ly, 1978;Margolis & Krinsley, 1971, 1974. However, silica is also soluble in water below pH = 9 and etch pits have beenreported on sand grains from soils (Doornkamp & Krinsley, 1971 ;Fitzpatrick & Summerson, 1971 ;Gillieson, 1981;Higgs, 1979;le Ribault, 1975;Wilson, 1978a), rivers (Bond & Fernandes, 1975;Spalletti, 1977), lakes (Margolis, 1968;Stieglitz, 1969) and as a result of diagenesis (Krischev & Georgiev, 1981 ;Tankard & Krinsley, 1975). Note also that etch pits may be confused with interference patterns produced by nearcomplete euhedral overgrowths (Waugh, 1970;Wilson, 1978b).…”

Section: (E) Chemically Etched Trianglesmentioning

confidence: 99%

An application of scanning electron microscopy of quartz sand surface textures to the environmental diagnosis of Neogene carbonate sediments, Finestrat Basin, south‐east Spain

Cater

1984

Sedimentology

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The Finestrat Basin, 25 km NE of Alicante, contains a poorly understood sequence of Neogene sediments that lack an indigenous fauna. Study of the surface textures of euhedral quartz grains, probably derived by first‐cycle weathering from an underlying Triassic mudstone diapir, provides new data on the depositional environment of the basin. The possible influence of alluvial fans is recorded by mechanical breakage features in these non‐glaciated sediments. The distribution and abundance of chemical etch pits suggest their diagenetic origin following non‐marine deposition, while the density and abundance of mechanically induced ‘V’‐shaped pits seems typical of fluvial and low‐energy littoral environments. The presence of silica precipitated during transport, such as silica globules, suggests a silica‐rich transport medium and a depositional environment that was not highly alkaline. In combination with independent sedimentological evidence, these data suggest that the sediments collected in a lake after derivation by rivers and alluvial fans from the diapir. It is concluded that the abundance and superposition of features must be noted for each grain in order to yield useful results, and that the mechanisms acting on each grain be deduced before attempting to identify specific environments.

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Surface Textures of Quartz and Heavy-Mineral Grains from Fresh-Water Environments: An Application of Scanning Electron Microscopy

Cited by 11 publications

References 0 publications

Surface features of heavy mineral grains from Palaeocene sands of the central North Sea

Surface features of heavy mineral grains from Palaeocene sands of the central North Sea

Environmental reconstruction by electron microscopy

An application of scanning electron microscopy of quartz sand surface textures to the environmental diagnosis of Neogene carbonate sediments, Finestrat Basin, south‐east Spain

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