天津蓟县中元古界铁岭组叠层石灰岩中原地海绿石的沉积学意义

天津蓟县剖面中元古界铁岭组二段叠层石灰岩中普遍发育海绿石。野外观察表明,海绿石主要分布在叠层石柱体间的泥晶灰岩中,呈薄膜状富集在叠层石鞘外缘;微观特征分析表明,海绿石呈不规则状的胶体形式,显示了原地海绿石的基本特点。电子探针的组分分析表明,铁岭组中的海绿石为中成熟度的海绿石。由于产在潮下高能柱状叠层石灰岩中,铁岭组中的海绿石并不反映低沉积速率或沉积间断的沉积条件,与现代海绿石的形成环境具有明显的差异。因此,中元古界铁岭组叠层石灰岩中的中成熟度原地海绿石是特殊沉积背景下的独特产物,为研究海绿石在地质历史时期产出的多样性提供了一个重要实例。     

南美Oriente盆地北部海绿石砂岩油藏特征及成藏规律

南美厄瓜多尔Oriente盆地斜坡带发育的白垩系Napo组高伽马特征的UT海绿石砂岩段是成熟探区新发现的隐蔽含油层段。本文分析了海绿石砂岩储层的矿物组成、孔隙结构、成岩作用、物性特点,并结合烃源岩评价与石油空间分布探讨海绿石砂岩油藏的成藏特征。海绿石粘土矿物以颗粒形式存在,与石英共同构成海绿石砂岩的颗粒组分,海绿石砂岩的孔隙结构具有双峰特征,束缚水含量高,属于中-低孔、中-低渗储层类型,孔隙类型主要是剩余粒间孔。海绿石砂岩储层中石英次生加大属Ⅱ级,长石碎屑颗粒发生溶蚀作用,含铁碳酸盐类胶结物发育,结合泥岩低的I/S混层比和高的最高峰温值T_max,指示海绿石砂岩层段属于中成岩阶段A期的产物。与海绿石砂岩油藏紧邻的大面积分布的Ⅱ₁腐泥型成熟烃源岩就是缓翼斜坡带的生烃中心,大面积连续发育的海绿石砂岩与之构成优越的源储组合,有利于上生下储式成藏。海绿石砂岩油藏表现为近源性、成藏晚期性等特点,规模发育的海绿石砂岩储层得以成藏的主要运聚机制是体积流和扩散流运聚机制。这对盆地其它油区同类油藏的发现具有重要的借鉴意义。     

中元古代晚期浅海高能沉积环境中的海绿石:以天津蓟县剖面铁岭组为例

海绿石是一种富钾、富铁的含水层状铝硅酸盐矿物,在沉积学领域常被作为一种普遍的指相矿物。多年研究的结果表明,现代海绿石主要形成在慢速、弱还原的较深水环境中,而且还可以作为"凝缩段"的识别标志之一。天津蓟县剖面中元古界铁岭组第二段灰岩中的海绿石,产在高能叠层石岩礁之中,主要以胶体形式富集在叠层石和均一石的边界上,代表较为典型的原地海绿石;较高的氧化钾含量(大于8%)而显示出高成熟海绿石的特点。很明显,铁岭组二段灰岩中的原地高成熟海绿石,不但不能作为"凝缩段"的识别标志,而且也不是长时间地层间断的产物。由于形成在正常高能浅海环境,而且处于中元古代末期,与现代沉积中的海绿石存在较大的差异,可能代表了中元古代末期的正常浅海还处于含氧量不够充分的弱还原状态,最终使铁岭组灰岩中的海绿石成为前寒武纪海绿石产出的一个典型代表,也间接的表明了在漫长的地质历史演变过程中海绿石产出的多样性特点。     

海绿石的成因、指相作用及其年龄意义

海绿石以独特的绿色自生色和球粒形状与围岩形成明显反差,关于其成因、演化、沉积和地层学意义目前存在3种普遍被认可并被采用的观点：海绿石是典型的海相沉积自生矿物,原地海绿石是“慢速、弱还原、较深水环境”的典型指相矿物之一;通常是海侵相的产物,含海绿石的地层在浅海沉积中常被作为海侵时期“凝缩段”及其相关沉积的识别标志之一;是沉积年代学中K-Ar、⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar年龄理想的测定对象。在采用海绿石作为典型指相矿物的过程中,应注意海绿石可以形成于多种沉积环境中,只有原地海绿石才能作为海侵时期“凝缩段”及其相关沉积的识别标志;海绿石年龄往往呈“年轻化”或“老化”,没有火成岩定年准确,只有成熟、富钾的海绿石才是最好的定年对象。     

湖泊深水重力流沉积露头精细解剖——以鄂尔多斯盆地瑶曲剖面长7油层组为例

沉积露头为精细刻画沉积体内部结构、建立准确地下地质模型发挥着不可替代的作用。本文以鄂尔多斯盆地南部瑶曲剖面长7段为例,采用地质学、野外露头沉积学方法,详细剖析了湖泊深水重力流沉积深水岩相的类型、特征、垂向组合及沉积环境。研究表明,瑶曲剖面长7段发育块状细砂岩相、鲍马序列粉砂岩相、水平纹理泥岩相、块状泥岩相、水平层理页岩相、凝灰岩相6种岩相类型,碎屑流沉积、浊流沉积、滑塌沉积、深水原地沉积、火山碎屑沉积5类沉积单元,在垂向上5类沉积单元构成了A、B、C、D 4类垂向分布形式。在此基础上,结合区域地质特征,研究认为长7段发育湖泊、水道型重力流沉积两种沉积体系。湖泊相可进一步确定为半深湖—深湖亚相,深水原地沉积微相,以D类岩相组合最为发育;水道型重力流沉积体系进一步划分为近源水道、远源水道、堤岸、前端朵体4个亚相,包含砂质碎屑流沉积、浊流沉积、滑塌沉积3个微相,近源水道+堤岸形成A类、C类、B类岩相组合,远源水道+堤岸形成B类、C类岩相组合,前端朵叶发育C类岩相组合。剖面相分析表明,研究区优质的烃源岩与重力流砂体可构成较好的"下生上储"的致密岩性油气藏。     

咸化湖盆细粒重力流沉积特征及其页岩油勘探意义——以准噶尔盆地玛湖凹陷风城组为例

细粒重力流沉积作用是咸水深湖环境重要的沉积作用过程之一,它能把浅水细粒碎屑和有机质搬运到深湖,形成页岩油的甜点储层和优质源岩。开展咸化湖盆细粒重力流沉积特征的研究对陆相盆地页岩油评价具有重要的意义。准噶尔盆地玛湖凹陷风城组(P₁f)沉积时期发育了一套咸水湖泊环境下的湖底扇沉积体系,研究表明该体系扇缘可发育8类细粒重力流岩相组合：(1)细粒浓缩密度流-细粒过渡流-细粒碎屑流岩相组合;(2)细粒异重流岩相组合;(3)细粒浓缩密度流-细粒碎屑流岩相组合;(4)细粒浓缩密度流-泥流-安静水体空落岩相组合;(5)细粒过渡流-细粒碎屑流岩相组合;(6)细粒碎屑流-泥流岩相组合;(7)细粒碎屑流-湍流尾流岩相组合;(8)细粒下部过渡塞流-细粒上部过渡塞流-准层状泥(塞)流岩相组合。这8种岩相组合是细粒重力流沉积作用相互转化的结果,它们属于不完整的混合事件层,可构成一个完整的混合事件层。咸化湖盆、深层热卤水和凝灰质的加入使该湖底扇沉积体系的沉积物普遍含白云石、碳酸钠钙石、苏打石和硅硼钠石等矿物。其中,白云石为化学沉淀的方解石在准同生期和浅埋期形成的准同生白云石,碳酸钠钙石、苏打石...     

中小型陆相红色盆地区调方法探讨

从中小型陆相红色盆地沉积的基本组成和结构特征入手，重点就区调填图中存在的问题及区调方法，内容等进行分析与探讨，红层区冲积扇体是一种特殊类型的沉积地质体，为揭示期时空分布规律，提出被某些特征面所分隔，同期洪积事件形成的各种冲积扇体组成与“组”相当的基本填图单位；在扇体内进一步划分岩性段与扇根，扇中，扇缘岩相带。     

鄂尔多斯盆地中南部晚三叠世延长期区域构造环境转变的沉积响应

以大量砂岩碎屑矿物定量鉴定资料为基础,通过对砂岩碎屑组分特征及其变化的综合分析,系统剖析了鄂尔多斯盆地中南部延长组长10—长1层砂岩类型、骨架轻矿物、岩屑组分等在平、剖面上的分布规律和变化特点。研究揭示,盆地在延长组长8与长7层沉积期间,出现了明显的沉积变革事件。在砂岩类型、矿物组分及源区大地构造背景等方面,大致以华池—黄陵一线为界,长7期以来盆地西南与东北沉积区差异显著,开始出现与长7期之前明显不同的沉积分区。结合盆地发育的构造背景及其他沉积-构造事件等研究认为,延长期沉积变革事件与中晚三叠世华北与扬子克拉通拼接碰撞,秦岭洋最终闭合联系密切,是对秦岭全面碰撞造山和强烈隆升剥蚀事件的响应。本研究对进一步分析延长期盆地物源区构造属性的变化和盆内沉积体系划分、砂体展布、有利储层预测提供了科学依据,为中生代盆-山耦合关系、沉积建造与改造响应提供了新的证据和重要线索。     

长江口地区绿色颗粒的矿物学研究

本文对长江下游河道、长江口现代沉积区、口外残留砂沉积区及大陆架现代沉积区表层沉积物中的绿色颗粒进行了系统的矿物学研究。特别运用透射间和能谱分析对其内部超微结构、单晶结构和单晶化学组成进行了研究。长江口地区的绿色颗粒从宏观形态上可分为三类：颗粒状、书页状和生物状，不同的形态者，其形成机制基本相同，只是微晶聚集的微空间环境不同。绿色颗粒的颜色和成熟度有较密切的关系，颜色愈深，K和Fe含量愈高。其成熟度也愈高，K2O含量为3－7％，仅少数可达8.5％。绿色颗粒主要矿物成分为海绿石、鲕绿泥石、磁绿泥石和蒙4皂石。其中以海绿石为主，因此是一种复合型绿色颗粒。不同形态及不同沉积亚环境中绿色颗粒的矿物成分并无太大差别。     

新生代酒西盆地沉积特征及其与祁连山隆升关系的研究

酒西盆地普遍缺失上白垩统-始新统,在渐新世晚期开始接受沉积,并形成厚约3．9km的中下第三系一第四系河流相沉积约,不整合覆盖于下白垩统上。渐新统火烧沟组仅在盆地北部出露,往盆地南部尖灭,古流向向南,其物源区应在北部,可能和阿尔金断裂的活动有关。白杨河组全盆均有分布,北祁连山中也有沉积。山中-盆内沉积相由山麓相转变为河湖相,变化明显;古流向大致向北,说明当时祁连山开始隆升,成为白杨河组的物源区。对酒西盆地中、新生界的重矿物进行了系统分析,白杨河组重矿物绝对含量的脉动增加明显,显示白杨河组沉积物源发生变化,原因可能是北祁连山开始隆升,酒西盆地的沉积物源由北转向南侧的祁连山。重矿物的相对含量以及ATi,GZi和ZTR特征值也指示了白杨河组时期矿物成熟度低,构造活动强烈,可能对应着北祁连山的开始隆升。     

Depositional controls on glaucony texture and composition, Upper Jurassic, West Siberian Basin

This study examines textural inhomogeneity and variable chemical composition of Upper Jurassic glaucony in relation to small‐scale synsedimentary and postsedimentary authigenic processes controlled by the palaeonvironmental and palaeogeographical context. Four glaucony types with complex textural and compositional features have been recognized in cores of the Georgiev Formation of the West Siberian Basin. Samples exclusively made of light green type 1 glaucony (K₂O < 6·5%: the less mature type, richer in glauconite–smectite mixed layer) formed under dysoxic conditions in the deepest distal marine environments of the northern sectors of the West Siberian Basin. Dark green type 2 glaucony is the most mature (richest in glauconitic mica: K₂O up to 8·5%), is sometimes associated with type 1 glaucony, and is typical of high bottom areas with a low sedimentation rate within the central sectors of the basin. Type 3 glaucony is formed by brown grains, poorer in K and Fe but richer in Al and Si than type 2 glaucony, and is only present in strongly condensed successions of the central‐eastern sectors of the West Siberian Basin. Type 4 glaucony is much richer in Fe than any other type, shows fresh yellowish green cores slightly less mature than type 2 glaucony, and brown rims and cracks with composition similar to that of type 3 grains; it was formed in western sectors of the West Siberian Basin, close to Urals. Weathering under a subtropical to temperate climate, and erosion of badly drained peneplaned lowland areas around the basin, provided Al‐rich terrigenous clays as substratum for glauconitization, which explains Al and Si enrichment in Siberian glaucony. Maturation from glauconite–smectite to glauconitic mica is monitored by a change from light to dark green colour related to decrease in Al, Si, Mg, Ca and Na, and to increase in K and Fe. Brown rims of type 4 glaucony, and brown type 3 grains formed after leaching of Fe and K from mature glauconite, with formation of clays and Fe oxyhydroxides as reaction products, as a result of free oxygen exposure related to a hydrodynamic regime and temporary sea‐level fall. Glauconitization stopped and diagenetic pyrite formed due to basin deepening and burial under black shales during the latest Jurassic–earliest Cretaceous transgression. This study demonstrates that, due to the complex nature of glaucony, the authigenesis of glauconitic minerals in the rock record cannot be correctly understood if the palaeoenvironmental context and the palaeogeographical context of glaucony‐bearing sediments are not considered.     

Origin and geochemical characterization of the glauconites in the Upper Cretaceous Lameta Formation,Narmada Basin,central India

This study presents geochemical characteristics of glauconites in estuarine deposits within the Maastrichtian Lameta Formation in central India. Resting conformably over the Bagh Group, the Lameta Formation consists of ~4-5 m thick arenaceous, argillaceous and calcareous green sandstones underlying the Deccan Traps. The sandstone is friable, medium-to coarse-grained, well-sorted and thoroughly crossstratified, and contains marine fossils. Detailed petrography, spectroscopy and mineral chemistry indicates unique chemical composition of glauconite with high K_2O, MgO, Al_2O_3 and moderate TFe_2O_3. Glauconite is formed by the replacement of K-feldspars, initially as stringers in the cleavages and fractures of feldspars. Incipient glauconite subsequently evolves fully, appearing as pellets. Fully-evolved glauconite pellets often leave tiny relics of K-feldspar. XRD exhibits characteristic peak of 10A from basal(001)reflection of glauconite, indicating the "evolved" character. The K_2O content of glauconites in the Lameta Formation varies from 5.51% to 8.29%, corroborating the "evolved" to "highly-evolved" maturation stage.The TFe_2O_3 content of glauconite varies from 12.56% to 18.90%. The PASS-normalized-REE patterns of glauconite exhibit a "hat-shape" confirming the authigenic origin of glauconites. The slightly-negative to slightly-positive Ce anomaly value and the moderate TFe_2O_3 content of glauconite agree well with a suboxic,estuarine condition. The replacement of K-feldspar by the glauconite contributes towards the high K_2O content. Compositional evolution of glauconites in the Lameta Formation is similar to those observed in many Precambrian sedimentary sequences.     

Glaucony from the Cretaceous of the Sierra de Guadarrama (Central Spain) and its application in a sequence-stratigraphic context

Detailed sedimentological and geochemical analyses of Upper Cretaceous glaucony-bearing deposits from the middle portion of the Castro de Fuentidueña Formation, in Central Spain, enable identification of a multiphase history of glaucony accumulation. Despite its relatively high maturity (K₂O > 7%), glaucony from the transgressive subtidal sandstones has anomalously low concentration in the host rock (generally <10%), suggesting remobilization from a different source. The remarkable thickness of the glaucony-bearing horizons, concurrently with concentration of glaucony in laminae, small size, and high degree of roundness and sorting provide further evidence for an allochthonous origin of the green grains. In contrast, authigenic glaucony from the overlying offshore clays exhibits higher abundance (up to 45%) and lower maturity (K₂O < 7%) and is interpreted to have formed in situ. Allochthonous glaucony originally developed in more distal areas during a prolonged period of sediment starvation. The green grains were then swept away from their place of origin and concentrated into tidal bars and channels within the upper transgressive systems tract of the third-order depositional sequence. Maximum concentration of autochthonous glaucony is recorded at the transition from tidal-influenced to offshore deposits: this glaucony, which is relatively less evolved due to lower time available for maturation, is interpreted to reflect the turnaround from transgressive to highstand conditions, marking the condensed section of the depositional sequence. As postulated by previous sequence-stratigraphic models, this study documents that allochthonous glaucony can be widespread throughout the transgressive systems tract (TST), while the condensed section (CS) typically hosts autochthonous glaucony. Contrary to the existing literature, however, this study shows that glaucony from the TST may be even more mature than glaucony from the CS, if enough time for maturation during transgression is allowed before the ultimate concentration of the green grains. Identification of spatial and temporal characteristics of glaucony, thus, is critical to a reliable sequence-stratigraphic interpretation of the glaucony-bearing deposits.     

佳木斯地块金矿石英的热释发光与含金性

乌拉嘎、平顶山、老柞山金矿是佳木斯地块三个重要的金矿。研究表明，石英是金矿中重要的脉石矿物，也是金的主要载体。ＳｉＯ２含量低于９８％，而∑（Ａｌ２Ｏ３＋Ｋ２Ｏ＋Ｎａ２Ｏ）含量高于１．３％的石英为含金石英；含金或富含金石英的热释发光谱以双峰或多峰为其主要特征。因此，上述石英的标型特征可作为金矿床重要的找矿标志，对佳木斯地块的矿点评价和扩大找矿远景有着重要的意义     

对“指相矿物”海绿石的重新认识

长期以来，海绿石一直被认为是在特定海洋条件下形成的自生矿物，被作为海相标志，随着陆相海绿石的不断发现，有必要对这一观点进行重新认识。本文通过对不同地区、不同环境中的海绿石的统计研究认为：海绿石既可以形成于海洋环境，也可以形成于陆相湖泊环境，海绿石不能作为海洋环境的指相矿物；一般来说，形成于陆相湖泊环境的海绿石与形成于海洋环境的海绿石相比，在化学成分上具有Ａｌ２Ｏ３、Ｋ２Ｏ含量高而ＦｅＯ含量低的特点     

Unusual occurrence of glauconite in a shallow lagoonal environment (Lower Cretaceous, northern Aquitaine Basin, SW France)

Some minerals are considered to be representative of specific natural environments. Among them glauconite is considered to be formed in marine deep platform conditions. However, the term glauconitic is misused to designate green minerals formed in marine outer-shelf environments. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analyses of individual green materials were carried out leading to the identification of glauconite in the Purbeckian facies. Green glauconite grains predominantly occur as burrow fills and occasionally as faecal pellet replacements. Two depositional environments have been identified from bottom to top of the succession: (1) an argillaceous dolomitic lagoonal sediment formed in saline, shallow water; (2) a marl-limestone alternation deposited in a brackish water estuary. The crystallochemical properties of the glauconites change abruptly. These findings show that glauconite may form in coastal environments and not only in mid-shelf to upper deep water platform environments as classically assumed. Moreover, the glauconite composition changes with the chemical conditions imposed by the local environment.     

The origin and maturation of lagoonal glauconites: a case study from the Oligocene Maniyara Fort Formation,western Kutch,India

An integrated study of the sedimentology, micropalaeontology, mineralogy and geochemistry of glauconites in the Oligocene Maniyara Fort Formation (western Kutch, India), has been undertaken. Authigenic glauconites, mostly of evolved type, formed within a back‐barrier lagoonal environment. Foraminifera help constrain the biostratigraphy and along with sedimentological evidence, provide information on the depositional conditions. Glauconite in the Maniyara Fort Formation occurs either as infillings within intra‐particle pores of larger foraminifers, or as an altered form of faecal pellets. X‐ray diffraction studies reveal the less mature nature of glauconite infillings compared to the glauconite pellets. Electron microprobe investigation confirms a relative enrichment of K₂O and total Fe₂O₃ in the latter. Both varieties of glauconite formed by initial authigenic precipitation of K‐poor glauconite and subsequently matured by addition of potassium in the interlayer sites and fixation of total iron in the octahedral sites; calcium, magnesium and aluminum were released from the glauconite structure concomitantly. Alkaline conditions during the entire process of glauconite formation did not allow dissolution of foraminiferal tests. Mineralogical and chemical characteristics of the Maniyara Fort Formation glauconites are more similar to deep marine glauconites than those reported from other shallow or marginal marine settings. A low negative cerium anomaly, as well as abundant pyrite, suggests formation of glauconite in sub‐oxic micro‐environments, created by decay of organic matter associated with foraminiferal chambers and faecal pellets. Sub‐oxic condition apparently prevailed relatively longer within the Maniyara Fort Formation lagoons. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nature mineralogique et origine des glauconies du plateau continental du Gabon et du Congo

The detailed analysis of pellets deposited on the continental shelf off Congo and Gabon (Gulf of Guinea) reveals the present formation of goethite and berthierine-granules, as well as that of glauconite. The goethite is being formed in the most oxygenized zones, independently of the initial nature of the granular support and, sometimes, takes the form of pseudooolites. The berthierine is being formed in the Ogooue delta zone. To us the deltaic environment, rather than the temperature factor, seems determinant. Principally, this berthierine is found in the form of coprolites, of initial kaolinic composition. Incrustations of calcareous debris and fillings of animalculae tests are present. This genesis is recent (post-Flandrian) and is still continuing. The glauconite exists practically uniquely in the form of coprolites, from the medium-depth zones of the continental shelf (—50 m) down to the upper continental slope (—300 m). The sèdiment in which it was formed, and is probably still being formed, is older (ante-Flandrian). The actual rate of sedimention is null when glauconite is forming. The glauconite formation may be broken down into several stages, which are found at different sampling depths and, sometimes, in the same samples. The pellets are formed first. These original pellets, of kaolinic nature, gradually become smectitic. The evolution continues, becoming a component with diffractometric behaviour identical with that of an interlayered material (illite-vermiculite) with the illite dominant. Correlatively, the K₂O percentage increases from 2–3% in the smectites to 5–6% in the most evolved component. The mineralogical composition of these last pellets is identical with that of certain fossil glauconites, the evolution of which could be followed up to the best crystallized glauconite mineral. Thus, we were able to reconstitute the formation history of the glauconite from any mineralogical support up to the typical glauconite mineral (Table l). Two conditions necessary for this formation are detected here: the time factor, as has often been pointed out, is important. However, it is, above all, the environment factor which has attracted our attention. The forming of pellets favours and determines the geo-chemical evolution through the creation of a semi-confined environment. Reactions take place there in a more concentrated environment than in the open sea, this environment is characterized by a large surface of reaction, since the granule is porous. Sedimentologically, it is possible to distinguish two groups of glauconites: one, monomineral, corresponds to more or less crystallized glauconite mineral; the other, plurimineral, consists of various TOT minerals. Only the first has the significance generally attributed to all glauconites : open epicontinental marine environment, free of sedimentation for a long time. The various cases of evolution encountered here are summarized below (Table 1).     

Glaukonitkörner in rezenten Sedimenten des Persischen Golfs

The field-name “glauconite” is applicable to a great variety of green grains, particularly mud clasts, which are found in the fraction >63μ in surface sediments from the Persian Gulf. These grains occur in areas of low sedimentation rates in all water depths to 110 m, the shelf break in the Gulf of Oman (Fig. 1). Glauconite grains coarser than 250,μ were magnetically separated from 15 samples and then handpicked. Their carbonate fractions (75->90%, predominantly aragonite) are basically different from those of the corresponding total samples (50–65%, predominantly calcite). The clay minerals in the glauconite grains fall into two groups. The samples away from the shore contain abundant montmorillonite, compared to the small amount in the 2μ (fractions of the total samples; the near shore samples are predominantly amorphous material and illite. Because of these and other differences from the remaining parts of the samples (Tab. 1) the glauconite grains are considered to be parautochthonous relicts from the underlying late Pleistocene. They were apparently formed under the special conditions of a transgressing shallow marine environment.     

Isotopic constraints on the genesis and age of autochthonous glaucony in the Oligo-Miocene Torquay Group, south-eastern Australia

The Oligo‐Miocene Torquay Group at Bird Rock in south‐eastern Australia comprises a sequence of fine‐grained skeletal carbonates and argillaceous and glauconitic sandstones, deposited in a cool‐water, mid‐shelf environment. The Bird Rock glaucony is autochthonous and consists predominantly of randomly interstratified glauconitic smectite, which constitutes bioclast infills and faecal pellet replacements. The results of Rb–Sr and oxygen isotopic analysis of samples taken from a single glauconitic horizon (the BW horizon) indicate that the glaucony developed through a series of simultaneous dissolution–crystallization reactions, which occurred during very early diagenesis in a closed or isochemical system, isolated from the ambient marine environment. The constituent ions of the glaucony were derived primarily from terrigenous clay minerals, but considerable potassium may have been sourced indirectly from sea water, through potassium enrichment of clay precursors. The pore fluids associated with glauconitization were marine derived, but progressively modified by the dissolution–crystallization of detrital clay minerals and autochthonous glaucony. Rb–Sr data for the BW horizon indicate that dating glauconies may be somewhat problematic, as co‐genetic glauconitic minerals can show a range of initial strontium compositions, which reflect the incorporation of strontium derived from mineralogical precursors and/or contemporaneous sea water. Rb–Sr isochrons indicate that the glaucony of the BW horizon formed at 23 ± 3 Ma. This age is in good agreement with both the established biostratigraphy and a ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr age for the horizon (23 ± 1 Ma), but could only be determined using the independent age constraint and the estimate of the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of contemporaneous sea water provided by analysis of associated biogenic carbonate.