Lu-Hf geochronology of Mississippian high-pressure metamorphism in the Acatlán Complex,southern México

Since the first discovery of eclogite in the Acatlán Complex in southern México, the age of the high-pressure metamorphism has been a matter of debate. Several attempts to date high-pressure metamorphic rocks of the Acatlán Complex have been made using the U-Pb and ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar methods. The resulting dates, however do not correspond unambiguously to the time of eclogite facies metamorphism. In this study, the age of high-pressure metamorphism in the Acatlán Complex has been determined by Lu-Hf garnet-whole rock geochronology. This paper presents four high precision, 4- to 7-point garnet-whole rock isochrons of amphibolitized eclogite from the Piaxtla Suite and the Asís Lithodeme, in the Acatlán Complex. The four dates agree within uncertainties, yielding a weighted mean of 352.5 ± 1.6 Ma, which we interpret to be the age of eclogite facies metamorphism in the Piaxtla Suite and the Asís Lithodeme, marking active subduction in the Acatlán Complex in the Carboniferous. Mississippian high-pressure metamorphism in turn, might be related to the closure of the Rheic Ocean and the assembly of Pangea.     

Effect of plant growth on Pb and Zn geoaccumulation in 300-year-old mine tailings of Zacatecas,México

Concentrations of Pb and Zn, plant uptake of these metals, the influence of the plants’ growth on the physicochemical properties and metal concentrations in the tailings of an abandoned 300-year-old mine tailing dam in Zacatecas, Mexico were investigated. Tailings were found to be heavily contaminated, with average levels of 2621 ± 53 and 3827 ± 83 mg/kg for Pb and Zn, respectively (maximum concentrations of 8466 ± 116 and 12,475 ± 324 mg/kg, respectively), exceeding international standards. Though physico-chemical conditions (pH, conductivity, redox potential, moisture, organic matter, nitrate, nitrite, ammonium nitrogen, total nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfates) do not favor the development of vegetation, some plants have adapted to these adverse conditions. Moreover, there was a significant reduction of Pb and Zn concentration in the rhizosphere (between 10–78% for Pb and 18–62% for Zn, depending on plant species). Sporobolus airoides showed average biomass concentrations of 173 ± 2 and 313 ± 6 mg/kg, for Pb and Zn, respectively; which implies a risk for mobility and possible incorporation into the food chain. Barcleyanthus salicifolius, Asclepsias linaria and Cortaderia selloana on the other hand, showed average biomass concentrations of 28 ± 3 and 121 ± 5 mg/kg of Pb and Zn, respectively, thus representing a lower biomagnification risk. The effect of these plants to reduce metal concentrations in the rhizosphere, improve physico-chemical conditions in metal polluted substrates, but with limited metal accumulation in biomass, suggests that they can be evaluated for use in stabilizing metal polluted tailings.     

A high-pressure folded klippe at Tehuitzingo on the western margin of an extrusion zone,Acatlán Complex,southern México

High-pressure (HP) rocks at Tehuitzingo, on the western margin of the HP belt within the Paleozoic Acatlán Complex (southern México), occur in a klippe that was thrust over low-grade clastic rocks. The youngest detrital zircon cluster in the low-grade rocks yielded U-Pb ages of 481 ± 16 Ma, which provide an older limit for deposition. The HP rocks are composed of metabasites, serpentinite, granite (482 ± 3 Ma) and mica schist (youngest concordant detrital zircon: 433 ± 3 Ma). The schist and granite are inferred to be high-grade equivalents of lower Paleozoic, low-grade rocks exposed elsewhere in the Acatlán Complex, from which they are inferred to have been removed by subduction erosion. Mineral analyses indicate that the subducted rocks underwent HP metamorphism and polyphase deformation at depths of ~ 50 km (~ 16 kbar and 750 °C: eclogite facies). Subsequent retrogression passed through epidote-amphibolite to greenschist facies, which was synchronous with W-vergent thrusting over the low-grade clastic rocks. Deposition of the low-grade rocks and thrusting are bracketed between either 481–329 Ma (Ordovician-Mississippian), and was followed by F₃ synformal folding. Cooling through ca. 385 °C is indicated by 329 ± 1 and 316–317 ± 2 Ma, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar muscovite plateau ages in HP rocks, which are 5–17 my younger than those of the adjacent Piaxtla eclogites suggesting younger exhumation. The petrology, P-T conditions and ages of the Piaxtla Suite is consistent with an extrusion channel within the Acatlán Complex along the active western margin of Pangea during the Carboniferous. Detrital zircon populations in the low-grade psammite (ca. 481, 520–650, 720, 750, 815, 890, 1050 and 2750 Ma) and the HP schist (ca. 457–480, 534, 908, 954–1150, 1265, 1845 and 2035 Ma) indicate derivation from the Ordovician Acatlán granitoids, Neoproterozoic Brasiliano orogens, 900–750 Ma Goiás arc (Amazonia), 1–1.3 Ma Oaxaquia, and more ancient sources in Oaxaquia/Amazonia.     

Groundwater hydrochemistry and soil pollution in a catchment affected by an abandoned lead–zinc mine: functioning of a diffuse pollution source

The importance of polluted alluvial soils as a potential diffuse source of heavy metals was investigated in a catchment of the Matylda stream affected by an abandoned lead and zinc ore mine in Upper Silesia, southern Poland. This was attempted by means of standard groundwater analyses performed together with measurements of Cd, Pb, Zn, Fe and Mn concentrations in soil and groundwater. The Matylda stream, receiving mine water, was converted in the 20th century into a straight channel directed in its middle reach over the valley bottom. This changed the drainage direction of the Matylda stream water. During mining operations, groundwater seepage, combined with surface drainage by shallow ditches caused pollution of sandy soils exceeding over 100 mg/kg of Cd, 24% of Zn and 4% of Pb at surface or subsurface soil horizons, and reaching at least 60 cm in depth. After mine closure in the 1970s, the network of ditches appears to be a source of Ca, Mg, chlorides, carbonates and nitrates, as indicated by the more or less regular increase of these major ion concentrations in groundwater down ditches. Whereas, the ditches are a sink rather than a source of zinc, cadmium and lead in permanently dry reaches, or transition zones in reaches with surface water flowing periodically. The metal concentrations and distribution in soil and groundwater suggest the slow mobilization of heavy metals stored in the valley bottom and the minor importance of soil as a diffuse source for surface water pollution.     

Mssbauer and XRD characterization of contaminated sediments by coal mining drainage in Neath Canal, South Wales, UK

Sediment cores were collected from the upstream of the Neath Canal in South Wales and characterized for their mineral compositions and iron speciation in order to understand the influence of sedimentary properties on the contaminants of heavy metals. The …     

Phytoremediation of Nephrolepis auriculata (L.) for arsenic, mercury, lead and cadmium in the multiple contaminated soils

In recent years, the concentrations of heavy metals in Chinese herb of Ligusticum chuanxong Hort are overranging the standard of national port of green herbs in GAP bases of Dujiangyan City, Sichuan Province. The aim of the research is to disclose the rem…     

Phytoremediation of Nephrolepis auriculata （L.） for arsenic, mercury, lead and cadmium in the multiple contaminated softs

In recent years, the concentrations of heavy metals in Chinese herb of Ligusticum chuanxong Hort are overranging the standard of national port of green herbs in GAP bases of Dujiangyan City, Sichuan Province. The aim of the research is to disclose the remediation behavior ofNephrolepis auriculata （L.）, a novel pteridophyta found in our research with abundant arsenic, mercury, lead and cadmium from soils. The concentrations of arsenic, mercury, lead and cadmium in the series samples corresponding to roots, stems, leaves ofNephrolepis auriculata （L.） which had been trained in lab with a series of potted incubation experiments through the orthogonal test, were analyzed. Based on the results, methods of the range analysis and variance analysis were used, and it is demonstrated that （1） Nephrolepis auriculata （L.） has a function to beneficiate heavy metals of arsenic and lead, and can well concentrate cadmium and mercury from soils. The distributive behaviors of arsenic, mercury, lead and cadmium in N. sauriculata （L.） follow the order： roots〉leaves〉corms〉stems, stems〉leaves〉roots〉corms, roots〉stems 〉corms〉leaves, stems〉leaves〉roots〉corms; the correlations of the concentrations for arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury in different tisses of Nephrolepis auriculata （L.） and soils were carried out. Then, the effects of pH value, contents of EDTA and humic acid in soils to arsenic and mercury accumulated by Nephrolepis auriculata （L.） were further studied.     

Mafic forearc cumulates and associated rocks in the central high-pressure belt of the Acatlán Complex of southern México: geochemical constraints

The high-pressure (HP) Piaxtla Suite at Tehuitzingo contains peridotites, gabbros, and serpentinized peridotites, as well as granitoids and metasedimentary rocks. The HP mafic rocks are characterized by low SiO₂ (38–52 wt.%) and high Mg# (～48–70), Ni (100–470 ppm), and Cr (180–1750 ppm), typical of cumulate compositions. Trace elements and rare earth element (REE) primitive mantle-normalized patterns display generally flat profiles, indicative of derivation from a primitive mantle with two distinct patterns: (1) gabbroic patterns are characterized by a positive Eu anomaly, low REE abundances, and slightly depleted high REE (HREE) relative to low REE (LREE), typical of cumulus olivine, pyroxene, and plagioclase; and (2) mafic-intermediate gabbroic patterns exhibit very flat profiles characteristic of olivine and clinopyroxene as cumulus minerals. Their Nb/Y and Zr/TiO₂ ratios suggest a subalkaline character, whereas low Ti/V ratios indicate that the Tehuitzingo cumulates are island arc tholeiitic basalts that resemble modern, immature oceanic, forearc magmas. These cumulates have high values of ? _Nd(t) = 5.3–8.5 and ¹⁴⁷Sm/¹⁴⁴Nd = 0.18–0.23, which renders calculations of model ages meaningless. Our data are consistent with the Tehuitzingo arc rocks being part of a tectonically extruded Devonian–early Carboniferous arc developed along the west margin of Gondwana.     

Moessbauer and XRD characterization of contaminated sediments by coal mining drainage in Neath Canal, South Wales, UK

Sediment cores were collected from the upstream of the Neath Canal in South Wales and characterized for their mineral compositions and iron speciation in order to understand the influence of sedimentary properties on the contaminants of heavy metals. The sediments in the canal have been polluted by ocherous precipitate with heavy metals such as arsenic since a major mine water discharge in spring 1993. The sediment core was obtained just from the discharge point in the canal and distinguished into three layers in the field regarding to their physical properties including visible color, sediment particle composition and dryness. X-ray diffraction （XRD） and M6ssbauer spectroscopy revealed vertical variations of minerals and iron species in depth of the sediment profile. The upper layer, reddish-brown, is wet muddy precipitant and is very fine in particle size, consisting mainly of iron oxide and hydroxide. Arsenic is rich in this layer; probably the sorption on iron oxide surface is the main mechanism. The middle layer, 22.0-27.0 cm, is soft deposit in a yellow color and contains sheet silicate, calcite and goethite. The lower part below 27.0 cm is gray to dark gray in color and contains quartz, pyrite, coal particles that are much more similar to normal aquatic sediment. The upper two layers in brown and yellow colors as newly precipitated mud from AMD contain high concentrations of As, Ni under oxic conditions. The lower part as the old canal sediments under reducing conditions contains high Cu and Zn. Chromium is enriched in the limited part of the low layer, just beneath the boundary between the middle and low parts of the sedimentary column, where the redox conditions shifted from oxic to anoxic. It is clear that the distribution of these heavy metals is closely associated with the redox condition reflected in the iron speciation. Thus different treatments are necessary for each layer of the sediment since different mineral and geochemical properties of the sediment will give different impacts on the heavy metals.     

A Carboniferous high-pressure klippe in the western Acatlán Complex of southern México: implications for the tectonothermal development and palaeogeography of Pangea

High-pressure (HP) rocks are critical for palinspastic restorations because they mark inferred subducted/extruded oceanic crust; knowledge of their geometric, geodynamic, and age relationships provide essential constraints on palaeogeographic reconstructions. The westernmost HP belt (Ixcamilpa) in the Acatlán Complex of southern Mexico has been inferred to be a mid-Late Ordovician backarc basin on the southern Iapetan margin that was subducted beneath eastern Laurentia and extruded up the subduction zone during the Early Silurian. Re-examination of Ixcamilpa HP rocks has revealed that they comprise lower Palaeozoic rift-passive margin protoliths and occur in a W-vergent klippe (not a suture) formed during polyphase deformation. Peak metamorphic mineral assemblages of blueschist-amphibole eclogite facies underwent retrogression through epidote amphibolite to greenschist facies. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of various rocks yielded plateau ages of 344–339 Ma for calcic amphibole, 318 ± 4 Ma for glaucophane, and 329–325 ± 2 Ma for muscovite (excess argon), which clearly indicate a Carboniferous tectonothermal event. We interpret the 20 million years range in amphibole ages as reflecting progressive unroofing. The terminal stage of progressive thrusting placed the HP rocks above the middle Mississippian Zumpango Unit, during which a single penetrative sub-greenschist fabric was produced. Subsequent Permian or Laramide deformation refolded all the rocks about NE-trending upright folds. We postulate that the root zone of the HP nappe lies to the east in the median HP belt, which has a structure consistent with an extrusion zone. Inasmuch as similar units of the Acatlán Complex bound this HP root zone on either side, it is inferred to have been extruded into the upper plate above the subduction zone, and thus is not an oceanic suture. Our new data provide constraints for a Carboniferous palaeogeographic reconstruction, whereby subduction erosion of passive margin rocks took place along the western margin of Pangea and were subsequently extruded into the upper (Acatlán) plate.     

Evaluation of trace element concentration (acid leachable) in sediments from River Pánuco and its adjacent lagoon areas, NE México

A set of forty-one surface sediment samples were collected in River Pánuco and its adjoining lagoon areas in NE Mexico to identify the enrichment pattern of trace elements. The samples were analyzed for sediment texture, carbonates, organic carbon and acid leachable trace elements (ALTEs) using autoclave method [Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Co, Pb, Zn, Cd, V, Be, Ba, Sr, As]. Geochemical results of Fe, Cr, Ni, Co, V and Sr in zone 1 indicate that erosion in the upland region (Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains) is very high. The above feature is supported by the supremacy of finer sediments (82.12 %), carbonates (44.67 %) and organic carbon (10.74 %), which are brought down from the drainage basin. The overall average concentration of ALTEs Mn (607 μg g^?1), Cu (28.29 μg g^?1), Ni (16.56 μg g^?1), Pb (46.11 μg g^?1), Cd (1.81 μg g^?1) and Zn (92.18 μg g^?1) indicates higher values than the lowest effect level (LEL) and effects range low (ERL) of environmental indicators. The results suggest that they are due to the increase in oil refineries, metal based industries, shipping activities and the effluent input which could enter the biological cycle and might create human health problems.     

Hydrochemical evolution of groundwater in a riparian zone affected by acid mine drainage (AMD), South China: the role of river–groundwater interactions and groundwater residence time

Investigations were undertaken in the riparian zone near Shangba village, an AMD area, in southern China to determine the effects that river–groundwater interactions and groundwater residence time have had on environmental quality and geochemical evolution of groundwater. Based on the Darcy’s law and ionic mass balances as well as the method of isotopic tracer, the results showed that there were active interactions between AMD-contaminated river water and groundwater in the riparian zone in the study area. River water was found to be the main source of groundwater recharge in the northwestern part of the study area, whereas groundwater was found to be discharging into the river in the southeastern part of the study area throughout the year. End-member mixing analysis quantified that the contributions of river water to groundwater decreased gradually from 35.9% to negligible levels along the flow path. The calculated mixing concentrations of major ions indicated that water–rock reactions were the most important influence on groundwater quality. The wide range of Ca²⁺?+?Mg²⁺ and HCO₃^? ratios and the change of groundwater type from Ca²⁺–SO₄^2? type to a chemical composition dominated by Ca²⁺–HCO₃^? type indicated a change of the major water–rock reaction process from the influence of H₂SO₄ (AMD) to that of CO₂ (soil respiration) along a groundwater flow path. Furthermore, the kinetics interpretation of SO₄^2? and HCO₃^? concentrations suggested that the overlapping time of their kinetics triggered the hydrochemical evolution and the change of major weathering agent. This process might take approximately 8 years and this kinetic time will be continued when a steady source of contamination enter the aquifer.     

Identification of hydrogeochemical processes in a volcano-sedimentary aquifer of Ciénega de Chapala in Michoacán,Mexico

The present study characterized the hydrogeochemical processes of the aquifer of Ciénega de Chapala in Michoacán, Mexico. The dominant water families contained bicarbonate magnesium and sodium. In the region, water infiltrates into a fractured volcanic environment exposed in the surrounding mountains and is transmitted to the volcano-sedimentary units of the ciénega, where silicate alteration and ion exchange processes occur in the clays of the subsoil. The Gibb diagrams confirm that the main evolutionary processes in the aquifer are rock-water interactions in the local flow and evaporation in the intermediate and regional flows. The molar ratios of HCO₃/Na and Ca/Na are congruent with the type of volcano-sedimentary environment present in the area. Ternary mixing processes associated with three end members were also identified and were related to the flow systems in the area. The local flow contributes 77% of water to the system, and the intermediate and regional flows contribute 16% and 7%, respectively.     

Heavy metal and arsenic distributions in soils surrounding Palapye, Botswana： An evaluation of environmental impact of coal mining and combustion in a sub-arid region

Coal is an important natural resource in Botswana. The best coals so far found occur in the Morupule coalfield, west of Palapye, where nearly 8000 million tons have been identified （Carney et al., 1994）. In this study we investigate the environmental impact of the mining and consumption of the high-ash, medium-calorific value bituminous coal in the eastern part of Botswana, which may serve as a reference for other coal mines and coal-based power stations around the globe. More than two hundred surface soil samples and three profile soil samples were collected around Morupule Colliery, Morupule Power Station and Palapye.     

Occurrence and spatial distribution of metals in intertidal sediments of a temperate estuarine system (Bahía Blanca,Argentina)

Intertidal sediments of the inner and middle zone from the Bahía Blanca estuary were sampled for geochemical and environmental assessment of metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, Mn, Ni, Cr and Fe). Results indicate that both the organic matter content and the sediment grain size plays an important role in controlling the differential concentrations of the metals found in sediments from both zones. For most of the elements (except Mn), sediment metal concentrations were greater in the middle zone, although the concentrations did not exceed the maximums for quality of marine sediments. In this sense, anthropogenic impact (i.e., sewage drain) appears to be a key factor in the distribution of metals within the estuarine system. Comparing the levels obtained with quality levels (LEL and SEL), except Cu that showed levels slightly above the LEL, the rest of the concentrations of metals were lower to those levels. The low metal concentrations obtained within this highly impacted estuarine system suggest that the great volume of water that flooding the extensive flats in each tidal cycle has much importance. Although the potential risks of metals to the estuarine environment were low, taking into account the toxicity of some of these metals, continuity of monitoring is highly recommended.     

Geology,Geochemistry and Re–Os systematics of manganese deposits from the Santa Rosalía Basin and adjacent areas in Baja California Sur,México

The manganese ores in the Santa Rosalía region, western Mexico, are mainly stratiform horizons or mantos, constrained to the initial stages of sedimentary cycles of the Miocene Boléo Formation. The manganese mineralization is generally restricted to isolated paleo-basins and related to NW–SE faults formed during the early stages of the opening of the Gulf of California. Jasper, Fe, and Mn oxides associated to the NW–SE structures may represent feeder zones for the mineralized system. The manganese oxide minerals include pyrolusite, cryptomelane, todorokite, hollandite, jacobsite, and pyrochroite. Trace elements in the manganese ores indicate a hydrothermal origin for the deposits of the Santa Rosalía area. Rare earth elements (REE) patterns obtained for manganese minerals from the Lucifer and El Gavilán deposits also support a hydrothermal origin, whereas the middle REE enrichment observed in samples from the Boléo district indicates mixing between hydrothermal and hydrogenous sources. Osmium and rhenium concentrations of the manganese minerals range between 33–173 ppt and 0.14–89 ppb, respectively. The initial ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os ratios in the manganese oxides from Lucifer and the Boléo district range between 0.43 to 0.51 and 0.70 to 0.74, respectively. These ratios are different from seawater at 7 Ma (0.84–0.89), which suggests important contributions of osmium from underlying rocks such as the Miocene volcanic rocks and the Cretaceous quartz–monzonite basement. Field evidence, manganese oxide mineralogy coupled with major and trace element geochemistry and Re–Os systematics support a hydrothermal origin for the manganese deposits from the Santa Rosalía region. The ore deposition style indicates an exhalative-intraformational environment restricted to isolated basins in a diagenetic stage related to the initial evolution of the Gulf of California.     

Distribution and behavior of heavy metals in a river polluted by acid mine drainage in the Dabaoshan mine area, China

Acid mine drainage （AMD） has been recognized as a major environmental pollution problem over past decades. This pollutant effluent is complex and is characterized by elevated concentrations of iron and sulfate, low pH, and high concentrations of a wide variety of metals depending on the host rock geology. Massive inadvertent discharges from acid mines have given rise to dramatic cases of ecological damage. These events indicate an improved understanding of the mechanism controlling metal transport to the river is important, since the aquatic ecology will be affected, to some degree, dependent on the phase （dissolved or particulate） in which the metal is transported. In this study, polluted water samples were collected along the Hengshi River near the Dabaoshan mine, Guangdong, China, in April 2005. The concentrations of dissolved Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb have been determined using ICP-MS and the chemical speciation of those metals in suspended particles was examined using BCR methods and SEM/EDX mineralogical analysis. Combining these two sets of data, the intention was to develop geochemical concepts, which explain the behavior of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in particle-water interactions of heavy metals in AMD. The results show that the dissolved heavy metals exhibited non-conservative behavior in the Hengshi River. The dissolved and particulate Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb have the similar spatial distribution, which decreased gradually along the river except in the lower reaches because of the absorption-desorption between dissolved and particulate phases. Although the metal concentrations in both phases were elevated, dissolved metals were dominant and had the maximum concentrations in the low pH region.     

Occurrence of népouite in the serpentinite of the Manipur ophiolite belt,Northeastern India: Implication for melt-rock interaction in a supra-subduction zone

Serpentinization is pervasive in the ultramafic rocks of Manipur ophiolite belt (MOB), Northeastern India. Electron microprobe data of a serpentinite from the Ukhrul-Nungbi sector of MOB shows Ni-rich serpentine mineral (NiO = 33.4-33.9 wt %, SiO₂= 37.55-38.96 wt %, MgO= 14.83-16.89 wt %). The composition and X-ray diffraction pattern characterize this Ni-rich serpentine mineral as népouite which is suggested to be a hydrothermal alteration product of NiO-rich olivine in a fore-arc peridotite. The genesis of this NiO-rich olivine is attributed to the melt-rock interaction in a supra-subduction zone setting.     

Anatomy and facies distribution of terminal lobes in ephemeral fluvial successions: Jurassic Tordillo Formation,Neuquén Basin,Argentina

In terminal fluvial-fan systems, characteristic proximal to distal variations in sedimentary architectures are recognized to arise from progressive downstream loss of water discharge related to both infiltration and evaporation. This work aims to elucidate downstream trends in facies and architecture across the medial and distal zones of terminal-fan systems, which record transitions from deposits of channel elements to lobe-like and sheet-like elements. This is achieved via a detailed characterization of ancient ephemeral fluvial deposits of the well-exposed Kimmeridgian Tordillo Formation (Neuquén Basin, Argentina). The fine sand-prone and silt-prone succession associated with the medial to distal sectors of the system has been studied to understand relationships between depositional processes and resulting architectures. Facies and architectural-element analyses, and quantification of resulting sedimentological data at multiple scales, have been undertaken to characterize sedimentary facies, facies transitions, bed types, architectural elements and larger-scale architectural styles. Eight bed types with distinct internal facies transitions are defined and interpreted in terms of different types of flood events. Channelized and non-channelized architectural elements are defined based on their constituent bed types and their external geometry. The most common elements are terminal lobes, which are composite bodies within which largely unconfined sandy deposits are stacked in a compensational manner; a hierarchical arrangement of internal components is recognized. Proximal feeder-channel avulsion events likely controlled the evolution of terminal-lobe elements and their spatiotemporal shifts. Stratigraphic relations between architectural elements record system-wide trends, whereby a proximal sector dominated by channel elements passes downstream via a gradational transition to a medial sector dominated by sandy terminal-lobe elements, which in turn passes further downstream to a distal sector dominated by silty terminal lobe-margin and fringing deposits. This work enhances current understanding of the stratigraphic record of terminal fluvial systems at multiple scales, and provides insight that can be applied to predict the facies and architectural complexity of terminal fluvial successions.