Benthic foraminiferal biostratigraphy of the tertiary sediments from the Elazig and Malatya Basins,Eastern Turkey

Tertiary sequences in the Elazig and Malatya Basins, eastern part of Taurus Orogenic Belt, are investigated with the aim of defining the benthic foraminiferal biozones. Tertiary geological units from bottom to top are as follows: Basement rocks, Zorban Formation, Yildiztepe Formation, Suludere Formation, Gedik Formation (Malatya Basin); Elazig Magmatics, Keban Metamorphics, Harami Formation, Kuscular Formation, Seske Formation, Kirkgecit Formation (Elazig Basin). Middle-Upper Eocene Yildiztepe, Suludere and Gedik Formations; Upper Paleocene-Lower Eocene Seske Formation and Middle-Upper Eocene Kirkgecit Formation are all characterized by interbedded clastics and carbonate rocks. Six stratigraphic sections are studied in detail for foraminiferal biostratigraphy. Eight benthic foraminiferal biozones are reported. These are; Coskinolina rajkae biozone in the Late Paleocene (Thanetian), Assilina yvettae, Idalina sinjarica biozones in the Late Paleocene; Asterocyclina alticostata gallica biozone in the Early Eocene (Late Cuisian), Nummulites millecaput biozone in the Middle Eocene (Middle Lutetian), Nummulites aturicus biozone in the Middle Eocene (Late Lutetian), Nummulites perforatus biozone in the Middle Eocene (Bartonian), Nummulites fabianii biozone in the Late Eocene (Priabonian). Some key taxa are illustrated.     

二连盆地下古近系的磁性地层学研究

古地磁的测试结果表明,蒙古高原二连盆地努和廷勃尔和与呼和勃尔和地区剖面早古近纪地层共记录了5个正极性段与6个负极性段,通过与2004年标准极性年代表对比,确认其可与C21r-C26r之间的极性带对应。脑木根组以晚古新世沉积为主,同时接受了始新世最早期部分沉积及少许中古新世;阿山头组跨越了早—中始新世,持续时间较长;伊尔丁曼哈组的时代为中始新世。同时,确定了含Lambdopsalis,Prionessus及Palaeostylops的化石层的时代为晚古新世最早期;Gomphos层的年龄大致与古新世-始新世界线的年龄相当。     

伦坡拉盆地西部丁青湖组新发现凝灰岩锆石U- Pb年龄及其地层学意义

伦坡拉盆地丁青湖组沉积时代的确定对于研究青藏高原中部的古高度和古气候具有重要的地质意义,但由于没有精确的年龄数据,其顶部是否跨入了新近系,一直以来都存在争论。作者在伦坡拉盆地西部鄂加卒地区开展野外调查过程中,在该剖面中部和上部新发现两套凝灰岩夹层,对凝灰岩进行了LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年,获得了两件凝灰岩样品的形成年龄分别为24.05±0.24Ma(MSWD=1.07,n=24)和22.64±0.33Ma(MSWD=0.45,n=17),时代分别为晚渐新世和早中新世。根据凝灰岩锆石U-Pb年龄和前人研究成果,将鄂加卒剖面的细碎屑岩地层重新厘定为丁青湖组,并将丁青湖组的沉积时代定为渐新世-中中新世。根据丁青湖组地层厚度及沉积速率估算,该组沉积持续时间在21～23Ma之间,其顶部地层的年龄在11～13Ma左右。由此可见,伦坡拉盆地接受连续沉积一直持续到了中中新世,这比过去普遍认识的晚始新世-渐新世时期青藏高原中部的古高度和古气候变化时间更晚。前人在该地区发现的近无角犀化石、攀鲈鱼化石、棕榈科叶片化石以及孢粉化石等研究结果共同证实,青藏高原中部渐新世晚期的古海拔高度低于～2500～3000 m。因此,该区晚渐新世-早中新世温暖潮湿的气候特征很可能是受到了印度洋气流穿透的影响,而且该影响可能一直持续到了中中新世,从而造就了该时期青藏高原生物的多样性。     

珠江口盆地早第三纪油源岩形成环境

记述了南海北部大陆架珠江口盆地上渐新统珠海组 (E₃ 3 )储油层所储原油中萃取出的孢子花粉化石 2 5属47种;基于原油中孢粉化石及其地层分布的研究确定了该含油盆地下第三系油源岩;并根据孢子花粉母体植物的古生态特征探讨了早第三纪油源岩形成的环境。研究结果表明,中始新统文昌组 (E₂ 2 )和上始新统至中渐新统恩平组(E₂ 3 -E₃ 2 )暗色泥质岩是珠江口盆地的油源岩,研究区油源岩形成于亚热带温暖潮湿气候下的湖泊沉积环境。     

Sedimentology,stratigraphy and palynological occurrences of the late Cretaceous Erlian Formation,Erlian Basin,Inner Mongolia,People's Republic of China

The Erlian Basin is one of the non-marine Cretaceous basins of north-east China that developed during the late Mesozoic continental extension in eastern Asia. This basin experienced two major tectonic events: (i) a syn-rift stage that was dominated by a fluvial–lacustrine depositional environment and (ii) a post-rift stage that was dominated by a fluvial environment. A new sedimentological study performed on Erlian Formation drill cores has led to the determination of an architectural model and to the subsequent characterisation of the stratigraphic evolution of this sedimentary unit during the late Cretaceous. The palynological occurrences that were identified in samples provided a possible stratigraphical age for the Erlian Formation.Sediments of the Erlian Formation occur at the top of the Cretaceous stratigraphic column of the Erlian Basin and were deposited during the post-rift stage. Facies architecture and the ideal succession of facies that were identified for this formation exhibit two different members, both dominated by a fluvial depositional environment: (i) the lower member, which is dominated by channels of a braided river system and (ii) the upper member, which is dominated by overbank deposits. The lower member expresses a tectonically induced uplift as indicated by channels clustering under negative accommodation, whereas a period of stratigraphic base-level rise that is associated with an increase of accommodation is identified in the upper member. Therefore the Erlian Formation highlights an alternation of short uplifts that were dominated by braided fluvial channel deposits with periods of stratigraphic base-level rise that were dominated by overbank deposits. This sedimentological architecture has significant metallogenic implications for the origin of confined permeable sandstone layers, which represent adequate host-rocks for roll front-type uranium deposits.The palynological assemblage Exesipollenites, Ulmipollenites/Ulmoideipites, Buttinia and Momipites that were recognised in two samples of the Erlian Formation has revealed a post-late Campanian age therefore more likely indicating a late Cretaceous age of deposition for the sediments of the Erlian Formation.     

剑川-兰坪盆地古近纪沉积-构造变革及其区域构造意义

滇西新生代兰坪盆地和剑川盆地分别位于哀牢山–红河断裂带两侧,青藏高原东构造结内,其沉积过程和构造变形对青藏高原东南缘的构造演化有重要的启示意义。通过对这两个盆地古近纪沉积和构造过程的研究,我们发现兰坪盆地和剑川盆地及邻区的构造变形分为三期:始新世早期的强烈挤压变形、始新世中晚期的伸展变形、渐新世的走滑变形。始新世早期的挤压变形主要表现为兰坪地区的褶皱–冲断系统、哀牢山-红河断裂的逆冲活动和剑川盆地的宽缓褶皱。沉积方面,古新统勐野井组(E_1m)较为稳定的细粒滨湖相沉积转变为始新统宝相寺组(E_2b)较粗的具有前陆盆地性质的河流相沉积,特别是宝相寺组底部发育的一套快速堆积的磨拉石建造,可能是对始新世强烈挤压环境下的沉积响应。始新世中晚期伸展变形体现在盆地的构造环境由早期的挤压环境变为伸展环境和该时期大量富钾岩体和岩脉的侵入,沉积学上,下始新统宝相寺组的河流相转变为中始新统金丝厂组(E_2j)具有快速堆积磨拉石特征的曲流河沉积,极可能是对构造体制变革的沉积响应。渐新世的走滑变形则体现在渐新统的缺失和哀牢山–红河断裂的早期左行走滑。因此,我们认为剑川–兰坪地区在始新世中期和渐新世均发生了显著的运动学转换,这一认识也得到了始新世中期兰坪和剑川盆地物源明显变化的支持。结合青藏高原东南部始新世中晚期岩浆的活动,渐新世大型剪切带(崇山剪切带、高黎贡剪切带)的强烈走滑和保山块体的旋转,我们推测青藏高原东南缘古近纪的构造演化为古新世-始新世早期的挤压、始新世中晚期的伸展、渐新世的转换压缩。     

Smectite-bearing clays of the Middle Eocene Kievskaya Formation in the Russian Plate and their genesis

The component composition and specific features of the structure of smectite-bearing clays in the Middle Eocene Kievskaya Formation of the Russian Plate were studied by the scanning electron microscopic, X-ray phase analysis, and complete chemical analysis methods. The clays are characterized by metastable (unstable) state of material expressed as abundance of the semidissolved clasts of felsic volcanic ashes and radiolarian skeletons, as well as colloidal segregations of siliceous, aluminosiliceous (Al-Si) and ferroaluminosiliceous (Fe-Al-Si) gel-type materials and newly formed smectite. Three stages of the diagenetic alteration of Middle Eocene dacite ashes are identified. Mechanism of the further transformation of rocks into smectite clays with siliceous nodules is proposed. The viewpoint suggesting the volcanosedimentary origin of clays of the Kievskaya Formation is confirmed. Sources of the pyroclastic material (suppliers of material for clays) in the Kievskaya Formation could be related to active explosions in the Caucasian volcanic arc in the Middle Eocene.     

内蒙古二连盆地哈达图砂岩铀矿渗出铀成矿作用

[研究目的]哈达图铀矿床是产于二连盆地下白垩统赛汉组上段的一个特大型砂岩型铀矿床，其与传统砂岩铀矿特点不同，矿体呈多层板状，控矿灰色砂体具“两黄夹一灰”特征，传统的渗入（潜水氧化、层间氧化）砂岩型铀成矿理论难以解释，阐明其成因和控矿要素对创新砂岩铀成矿理论与红杂色砂岩中铀矿找矿均具有重大意义。[研究方法]采用野外和室内、宏观和微观相结合，主要包括野外观察、区域地质、构造学、沉积学、岩石学、矿物学、地球化学（元素、有机、同位素）、地震解释和铀矿床学等方法。[研究成果]阐明了矿床矿体、控矿灰色砂体和矿化特征，指出研究区红杂色建造赛汉组上段、二连组和伊尔丁曼哈组为原生氧化建造成因，主含矿层赛汉组上段控矿灰色砂体是深部还原性流体对其再还原的结果，主要受连通深部的断裂构造及相关河道或不整合面控制，属后生改造成因，从成矿铀源、深部渗出流体的形成、铀的迁移和沉淀阐述了砂岩渗出铀成矿作用机制，提出哈达图砂岩铀矿床主要是渗出铀成矿作用形成，建立了相应的渗出铀成矿模式。[结论]发现揭示了红杂色砂岩形成砂岩铀矿一种新的铀成矿作用——渗出铀成矿作用，并由此提出了在红杂色沉积建造中寻找砂岩铀矿“上红下黑、上下连通、红中找灰、灰中找矿”预测评价的新思路，指出针对红杂色沉积建造砂岩铀矿找矿新层位，在找矿空间上可由盆缘拓展到盆中、由浅部拓展到深部。创新点：阐明控矿灰色砂体是深部还原性流体再还原的结果，属后生改造成因；提出了红杂色砂岩形成砂岩铀矿新的渗出铀成矿作用，建立了哈达图砂岩铀矿渗出铀成矿模式；提出了在红杂色沉积建造中寻找砂岩铀矿预测评价的新思路。     

The first record of Eocene tuff in a Paleogene rift basin near Nantou,Western Foothills,central Taiwan

Microfossils and a U–Pb age dating on zircon grains in the tuff beds exposed in the axial part of the Tsukeng anticline along the Pinglin River in the Western Foothills near Nantou, central Taiwan, show an occurrence of the Eocene volcanics unconformably beneath the uppermost part of the Latest Oligocene Wuchihshan Formation. This is the first discovery of the Eocene tuff exposed in the Western Foothills.The proposed Miocene “Tsukeng Formation” and “Takeng Formation” of Ho et al. (1956) named for sequences exposed in the Nantou area, Western Foothills, have to be abandoned and the standard Oligocene–Miocene lithostratigraphy used commonly in the Western Foothills of northern Taiwan is properly applicable in central Taiwan. The thick pink–brown–green colored volcanics unconformably beneath the uppermost Wuchihshan Formation is named for the first time as the Pinglin Tuff which contains Late Middle Eocene calcareous nannofossils (Zone NP16) consistent with a U–Pb age dating (38.8 ± 1 Ma) on zircon grains in the tuff. The Pinglin Tuff is overlying the Middle Eocene Chungliao Formation which contains indigenous larger foraminifera Discocyclina dispansa ex. interc. sella-dispansa and calcareous nannofossils of Zones NP14–15. The Middle Eocene Pinglin Tuff and Chungliao Formation represent the Paleogene syn-rift sequence unconformably overlain by the Latest Oligocene–Miocene post-rift sequence. This is the first document with conclusive paleontological data and age dating showing an occurrence of Paleogene marine rift basin exposed in the Western Foothills. This study also confirms similar Tertiary basin architecture between the Taiwan Strait–Pearl River Mouth Basin in the NE South China Sea and the Western Foothills onland central Taiwan.     

Source rock characterization and hydrocarbon generation modeling of the Middle to Late Eocene Mangahewa Formation in Taranaki Basin,New Zealand

The Middle to Late Eocene Mangahewa Formation of Taranaki Basin, New Zealand, has been evaluated in terms of organic matter abundance, type, thermal maturity, burial history, and hydrocarbon generation potential. Mangahewa Formation reflects the deposition of marine, marginal marine, shallow marine, and terrestrial strata due to alternative transgressive and regressive episodes in Taranaki Basin. The sediments of the Mangahewa Formation contain type II (oil prone), types II–III (oil-gas prone), and type III kerogens (gas prone), with hydrogen index values ranging from 58 to 490 mg HC/g total organic content (TOC). Vitrinite reflectance data ranging between 0.55 and 0.8 %R_o shows that the Mangahewa Formation is ranging from immature to mostly mature stages for hydrocarbon generation. Burial history and hydrocarbon generation modeling have been applied for two wells in the study area. The models have been interpreted that Mangahewa Formation generated oil in the Mid Miocene and gas during Middle to Late Miocene times. Interpretations of the burial models confirm that hydrocarbons of Mangahewa Formation have not yet attained peak generation and are still being expelled from the source rock to present.     

鲁西南莱芜、蒙阴、平邑盆地早第三纪地层的划分和对比

鲁西南地区分布着近东西向大致平行排列的早第三纪盆地群。在蒙阴、莱芜盆地早第三纪沉积称为官庄组，在平邑盆地称为卞桥组。依据沉积物特征和沉积旋回都能分为下段、中段和上段。通过对哺乳动物、介形类、轮藻、腹足类和孢粉等化石的研究可确定中段的沉积时代为早始新世，通过对轮藻、介形类和哺乳类动物的研究能确定下段和上段分别为始新世早期和中期。在卞桥组中段和官庄组中段发现介形类Ｃｙｐｒｉｄｅａ属，该属起源于晚侏罗世或早白垩世，在早白垩世繁盛，晚白垩世逐渐衰落，灭绝于晚古新世或早始新世，在早始新世沉积中的发现，是迄今在我国发现的最高层位。     

内蒙古二连裂谷盆地“同盆多类型"铀矿床组合与找矿方向

自20世纪90年代开始,核工业部门在二连盆地中开展了广泛的铀矿找矿工作,在乌兰察布和马尼特2个坳陷中发现了多个不同类型的铀矿床。文章从裂谷盆地的发展演化入手,分析了二连盆地构造演化阶段和各阶段中沉积充填类型特征。根据构造-沉积-含铀含氧流体在时空上的耦合作用及其结果,初步建立了早白垩世早期腾格尔组中含煤(砂)泥岩型道尔苏矿床、侧向氧化和垂向氧化形成的赛汉组中古河道砂岩型巴彦乌拉和赛汉高毕矿床、以及晚白垩世二连组中由蒸发沉积-成岩-热流体改造形成的努和廷矿床等"同盆多类型"铀矿成矿模型。同时,依据铀矿床成矿地质作用和地质特征,以及不同类型铀矿化发育的空间部位特点,指出了"同盆多类型"铀矿在盆地凹陷中发育的有利空间位置,总结了裂谷盆地不同阶段的"同盆多类型"铀矿床组合规律,为在东北亚地区类似盆地中找寻相似的铀矿床组合指明了方向。     

Significance of indigenous Eocene larger foraminifera Discocyclina dispansa in Western Foothills,Central Taiwan: A Paleogene marine rift basin in Chinese continental margin

The Western Foothills of Taiwan was known to be composed of Late Oligocene to Pleistocene shallow marine strata continuously deposited on the stable passive Chinese continental margin without significant stratigraphic break. Here we present multiple micropaleontological evidences, including occurrence of larger foraminifera Discocyclina dispansa ex. interc. sella-dispansa and calcareous nannoplanktons, to show that there are Middle Eocene marine strata (first named as the Chungliao Formation) exposed in the Tsukeng anticline of the Western Foothills, central Taiwan. Occurrences of intact tests with thin delicate outer rims and well-preserved embryonic chambers suggest that the Discocyclina dispansa ex. interc. sella-dispansa (Lutetian to Bartonian in the Tethys region) are buried indigenously on shallow inner shelf during an episodic transgression in the Early Middle Eocene. The conclusion is consistent with a biostratigraphy study of calcareous nannoplanktons (Zones NP14–15) in the shale/sandstone alternations overlying the Discocyclina-bearing bed of the Chungliao Formation and calcareous nannofossils of Zone NP16 integrated with an age dating of 38.8 ± 1 Ma (Late Middle Eocene) on zircon grains of the overlying Pinglin Tuff. The Middle Eocene syn-rift sequences (Chungliao Formation and Pinglin Tuff) exposed along the Tsukeng anticline are unconformably covered by the latest Oligocene–Miocene post-rift sequence, a scenario similar to what have been drilled in the East China Sea-Taiwan Strait-South China Sea. This rift basin (named as the Nantou Basin) is sitting on the Peikang Basement High margin which further extends southwestward to the Central Uplift of the Pearl River Mouth Basin in the northern slope of the South China Sea. The present work documents a hitherto unknown occurrence of the exposed early Tertiary marine rift basin sequence in the Western Foothills of Taiwan. The study extends our knowledge of the Western Foothills geohistory from the Late Oligocene downward to the Early Middle Eocene. The occurrence of the Paleogene Nantou rift basin in the Western Foothills may also suggest that there could have similar Paleogene rift sequences exposed in other parts of the Taiwan mountain belt like the Hsüehshan Range and the Central Range east of the Western Foothills.     

Basin analysis study of block 10 in the Say'un-Masilah Basin, Yemen, using a 1D backstripping method

Geohistory analysis was carried out on block 10 in the Say??un-Masilah Basin. The present study is based on the analysis of the well logs of six exploration wells. In the Middle Jurassic to the Middle Eocene, Say??un-Masilah Basin exhibited a complex subsidence history over a period of about 155?Ma. Backstripped subsidence curves are constructed by removing the effects of decompaction to the water column and sediment loads. In the Middle Jurassic, slow subsidence was driven under the effect of sediment load as Kuhlan and Shuqra Formations were deposited as pre-rift deposits. The average total subsidence value of the basement during the deposition of Shuqra Formation was 276?m. The highest subsidence rates during this time are observed northeast of the study area. Rapid subsidence initiated in the Upper Jurassic driven by mechanical extension of the rift, resulting in the deposition of Madbi and Safer Formations, or the so-called Syn-rift deposits. The average tectonic subsidence value of the basements during the deposition of Madbi Formation was 368?m. The highest subsidence rates during this time are observed southwest of the study area. Mechanical extension ceased at about 145?Ma, being replaced by a phase of post-rift subsidence, resulting in more widespread uniform sedimentation, with reduced tectonic subsidence rates forming post-rift deposits represented by Nayfa Formation, Sa??ar Formation, Biyad Formation, and Mahra Group. The total subsidence value of the basement during the deposition of the post-rift sediments increases gradually due to the increase of the sediment load as the rate of deposition was high especially northeast of the area.     

Spherules from the Late Cretaceous Phosphorite of the Fatehgarh Formation, Barmer Basin, India

A first report of discovery of spherules, glassy balls, highly magnetic fine dust and microbracciated matrix in the Fatehgarh Formation of Barmer Basin, Rajasthan, India is being presented in this paper. The Fatehgarh Formation is a mixed siliciclastic, carbonate and phosphorite formation of Cretaceous age in the Barmer Basin that comprises sediments of Middle Jurassic to Lower Eocene age. The phosphorite zone in the Fatehgarh Formation is 8 metre-thick zone that comprises phosphatic sandstone, bone bed, bedded phosphorite and phosphatic and non phosphatic gastropod beds. The spherules occur in a thin phosphatic-clay mud and silt band of bone bed, which also yielded a very rich and diverse microvertebrate assemblage with a dominant Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) form of Igdabatis along with forms comprising of Semionodontid, Lapisosteum and Enchodontid. The end Cretaceous is marked for a mass extinction of numerous species including dinosaurs. An extraterrestrial impact is interpreted as the reason for this mass extinction. Whether these spherules are related to the volcanic source or K/T Boundary impact ejecta found at Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico region needs detailed chemical and age characterization for which study is in progress.     

Provenance and depositional environments of Quaternary sediments from the western North Sea Basin

As the majority of the data on Quaternary sediments from the North Sea Basin are seismostratigraphical, we analysed the Elsterian Swarte Bank Formation, the Late Saalian Fisher Formation and the Late Weichselian (Dimlington Stadial) Bolders Bank Formation in order to determine genesis and provenance. The Swarte Bank Formation is a subglacial till containing palynomorphs from the Moray Forth and the northeastern North Sea, and metamorphic heavy minerals from the Scottish Highlands. The Fisher Formation was sampled from the northern and central North Sea. In the north, it is interpreted as a subglacial till, with glaciomarine sediments cropping out further south. These sediments exhibit a provenance signature consistent with the Midland Valley of Scotland, the Eocene of the North Sea Basin, the Grampian Highlands and northeast Scotland. The Bolders Bank Formation is a subglacial till containing palynomorphs from the Midland Valley of Scotland, northern Britain, and a metamorphic heavy‐mineral suite indicative of the Grampian Highlands, Southern Uplands and northeast Scotland. These data demonstrate that there was repeated glaciation of the North Sea Basin during the Middle and Late Pleistocene, with ice sheets originating in northern Scotland. There was no evidence for a Scandinavian ice sheet in the western North Sea basin. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

准噶尔盆地南缘紫泥泉子组的时空展布及成因解释

准噶尔盆地南缘的紫泥泉子组生物化石贫乏 ,以往在该组所见的少量古近纪介形类、轮藻化石也多集中在上部 ,因此《西北地区区域地层表新疆维吾尔自治区分册》和《新疆维吾尔自治区岩石地层》根据层位关系将紫泥泉子组置于古新统—上始新统下部。根据在准噶尔盆地南缘露头和钻井剖面的紫泥泉子组中新采获的介形类、轮藻化石 ,紫泥泉子组的时代应为晚白垩世—中始新世。紫泥泉子组在空间分布上存在较大差异 ,露头区地层缺失多 ,覆盖区沉积较全 ,这主要是由于气候变化导致的湖平面和河流平衡剖面升降变化控制了准噶尔盆地南缘紫泥泉子组的地层发育     

内蒙古阿拉善地区的第三系

依据丰富翔实的地层古生物资料,首次在内蒙古西部建立了比较完整的第三纪地层层序：命名或厘订了中始新统乌兰乌珠尔组、上始新统查干布拉格组、下渐新统乌兰塔塔尔组、上渐新统、下中新统乌尔图组、上中新统呼和好来组和上新统昂冈浩特组等７个地层单元;区分出了中始新世乌兰乌珠尔、晚始新世查干布拉格、早渐新世早期克克阿木、早渐新世晚期乌兰塔塔尔、晚渐新世因德里沟、早中新世乌尔图、晚中新世呼和好来和上新世昂冈浩特等８个动物群（组合）。     

Spherules from the Late Cretaceous Phosphorite of the Fatehgarh Formation,Barmer Basin,India

A first report of discovery of spherules, glassy balls, highly magnetic fine dust and microbracciated matrix in the Fatehgarh Formation of Barmer Basin, Rajasthan, India is being presented in this paper. The Fatehgarh Formation is a mixed siliciclastic, carbonate and phosphorite formation of Cretaceous age in the Barmer Basin that comprises sediments of Middle Jurassic to Lower Eocene age. The phosphorite zone in the Fatehgarh Formation is ∼8 metre-thick zone that comprises phosphatic sandstone, bone bed, bedded phosphorite and phosphatic and non phosphatic gastropod beds. The spherules occur in a thin phosphatic-clay mud and silt band of bone bed, which also yielded a very rich and diverse microvertebrate assemblage with a dominant Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) form of Igdabatis along with forms comprising of Semionodontid, Lapisosteum and Enchodontid. The end Cretaceous is marked for a mass extinction of numerous species including dinosaurs. An extraterrestrial impact is interpreted as the reason for this mass extinction. Whether these spherules are related to the volcanic source or K/T Boundary impact ejecta found at Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico region needs detailed chemical and age characterization for which study is in progress.     

Provenance analysis for Middle Eocene sediments in the West Kamchatka sedimentary basin (Tigil area)

The paper presents the results of reconstruction of Middle Eocene provenances for the West Kamchatka sedimentary basin (WKSB) corresponding to the Tigil area. It has been established that the early (Eocene) evolution stage of WKSB was marked by the deposition of terrigenous sediments in intermontane depressions followed by the accumulation of shallow-marine sediments after transgression. In terms of the composition, sandstones of the Middle Eocene Snatol Formation correspond to graywackes. With respect to the geochemistry of sandstones, their provenances were confined to an active continental margin and island arc. The mineral composition of the heavy fraction suggests an alternating dominance of felsic and mafic rocks in the provenances. Dating of the clastic zircon from sandstones of the Snatol Formation by the LA-ICP-MS method revealed a wide variation range of their age. The most significant peak is close to the age of calc-alkaline magmatism in the Okhotsk–Chukotka volcanic belt. This fact provides insight into the Eocene paleogeography: the major rock provenances were located in the Okhotsk–Chukotka volcanic belt and the eastern Achaivayam–Valagin island arc. Local sources of clastic material were represented by the Utkholok and Kinkil volcanic belts.