Provenance and Tectonic Setting of Late Lower Cretaceous (Albian) Kazhdumi Formation Sandstones (SW Iran)

Redbeds with a large thickness in the lower Cretaceous record abundant geologic information in the Minle Basin. We have conducted the paleoweathering conditions, provenance, and tectonic settings based on mineralogy and geochemistry. Our results indicate that mudstone samples are characterized by abundant illite with negligible amounts of K-feldspars and analcime. The lower part of the lower Cretaceous is rich in quartz, whereas the upper part is dominated by dolomite and analcime. We suggest that this is caused by the decreasing input of the clastic influx during the middle-late early Cretaceous. High index of compositional variation values (average 1.33) indicate first-cycle sediment supply, suggesting an overall compositional immaturity and short-distance transportation. These characteristics are consistent with an active regional extension tectonic setting. The [Formula: see text] system ([Formula: see text];[Formula: see text];[Formula: see text]) and Th/U versus Th consistently reveal that the lower Cretaceous experienced a positive gradient in chemical weathering from young to old formations. Although the patterns of trace elements in three formations of the lower Cretaceous are different, those of the rare earth elements (REEs) tend to be consistent. The significant enrichment of light REEs, heavy REEs fractionation, and distinctive negative Eu anomalies suggest derivation from an old, upper continental crust composed of predominantly felsic sediments. This interpretation is supported by several discrimination diagrams such as titanium dioxide-nickel ([Formula: see text]), which shows the characteristics of immature recycled sediments. A few sensitive elements, ratios, and normalized REE patterns indicate a provenance of an active continental margin and a continental island arc (CIA). The La-Th-Sc, Th-Co-Zr/10, and Th-Sc-Zr/10 discrimination plots further confirm the CIA signature. Thus, we conclude that the early Cretaceous redbeds in the Minle Basin, Hexi Corridor, were deposited in a dustpan-shaped half-graben basin in a CIA setting when northwest China was influenced by intense regional extension.

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Geochemistry of black shales from the Lower Cretaceous Paja Formation, Eastern Cordillera, Colombia: Source weathering, provenance, and tectonic setting

Journal of South American Earth Sciences ◽

10.1016/j.jsames.2007.02.003 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 23 (4) ◽

pp. 271-289 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

N.O. Campos Alvarez ◽

B.P. Roser

Keyword(s):

Lower Cretaceous ◽

Tectonic Setting ◽

Black Shales ◽

Eastern Cordillera

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Geochemistry of the Lower Cretaceous limestones in the Eastern Tethys Gyabula Formation (Himalaya, southern Tibet): implications for the depositional environment and tectonic setting

Arabian Journal of Geosciences ◽

10.1007/s12517-021-08627-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (22) ◽

Author(s):

Qing Li ◽

Feng Ding ◽

Micha Ruhl ◽

Yongdong Wang ◽

Ying Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lower Cretaceous ◽

Depositional Environment ◽

Tectonic Setting ◽

Southern Tibet

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Effects of late diagenesis on primary reservoir quality of a quartz arenite unit: a case study from the lower Cretaceous successions of SW Iran

Petroleum Science ◽

10.1007/s12182-019-0306-x ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. 267-284 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Amirhossein Enayati-Bidgoli ◽

Elham Saemi

Keyword(s):

Lower Cretaceous ◽

Reservoir Quality ◽

Quartz Arenite ◽

Sw Iran ◽

Late Diagenesis

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Lower Cretaceous alkali feldspar granites in the central part of the Great Xing’an Range, northeastern China: chronology, geochemistry and tectonic implications

Geological Magazine ◽

10.1017/s0016756814000387 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 152 (3) ◽

pp. 383-399 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

DEXIN TIAN ◽

WENCHUN GE ◽

HAO YANG ◽

GUOCHUN ZHAO ◽

YANLONG ZHANG

Keyword(s):

Lower Cretaceous ◽

Tectonic Setting ◽

Alkali Feldspar ◽

Pacific Plate ◽

Northeastern China ◽

Formation Time ◽

Granitic Rocks ◽

Geochemical Data ◽

Regional Geology ◽

Great Xing’An Range

AbstractThe Mingshui–Jilasitai–Suolun area, located in the central part of the Great Xing’an Range, is characterized by large volumes of alkali feldspar granites. However, the formation time and tectonic setting of these rocks remains controversial owing to a lack of precise geochronological and detailed geochemical data. In this paper, we report new SIMS U–Pb zircon ages and mineralogical, petrographical and geochemical data for Lower Cretaceous alkali feldspar granites from the Mingshui–Jilasitai–Suolun area. The SIMS zircon dating results indicate that these granites formed at 133.6–135.9 Ma. The mineralogical, petrographical and geochemical data show that these granitic rocks belong to highly fractionated I-type granites. Combined with the regional geology data, we propose that the formation of the Lower Cretaceous alkali feldspar granitic rocks was related to an extension induced by delamination of the lithosphere that arose from subduction of the Palaeo-Pacific plate.

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Provenance and Tectonic Setting of Lower Cretaceous Huanhe Formation Sandstones, Northwest Ordos Basin, North-Central China

Minerals ◽

10.3390/min11121376 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. 1376

Author(s):

Xiaoneng Luo ◽

Ziying Li ◽

Yuqi Cai ◽

Chao Yi ◽

Zilong Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rare Earth ◽

Rare Earth Elements ◽

Lower Cretaceous ◽

Chemical Weathering ◽

Tectonic Setting ◽

Ordos Basin ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Passive Margin ◽

Central China ◽

Average Value

In adjustment to fulfill the requirements of the investigation regarding the lower Cretaceous sandstone uranium deposit in the Naogaodai area within the northwest of Ordos Basin, twenty-seven sandstone samples obtained from the Lower Cretaceous Huanhe Formation were analyzed for major, trace and rare earth elements (REE). The source of clastic and tectonic background was additionally analyzed. The results show that Huanhe sandstone is feldspar rich sandstone, and also the mineral composition is principally quartz, albite and plagioclase; the ratio of light to heavy rare earth elements (LREE/HREE) is 9.25–10.83, with an average value of 10.00; (La/Yb)CN is 10.20–12.53, with an average value of 11.24, demonstrating that LREE is enriched and fractionated compared with HREE. REE distribution patterns are similar, which additionally reveals that Huanhe sandstone has a homogenous source; the Index of Compositional Variability (ICV) value is 1.17–1.73, with an average value of 1.35, both greater than 1, showing an immature property, which may be first-order cycle deposition. The average value of the Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) is 50.29, suggesting that the source rock has encountered weak chemical weathering; sandstones are near-source first-cycle provenance, which is not significantly influenced by sedimentary sorting and recycling. The geochemical qualities further indicate that Huanhe sandstone was deposited in a passive margin and experienced moderate weathering.

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