The Green Castle Sandstone Formation: A new name for the Cwmffrwd Formation (Old Red Sandstone) preoccupied by an Ordovician Member

The Geological Survey’s Framework Report on the Old Red Sandstone of the Anglo-Welsh region includes a proposal for a new formational name, the Cwmffrwd Formation, for the basal formation of the Daugleddau Group in Carmarthenshire, S. Wales.The name is preoccupied by the Early Ordovician Cwmffrwd Member of the Carmarthen Formation and a new name, the Green Castle Sandstone Formation is proposed for the Cwmffrwd Formation.     

Anatomy of falling‐stage deltas in the Turonian Ferron Sandstone of the western Henry Mountains Syncline,Utah: Growth faults,slope failures and mass transport complexes

Falling‐stage deltas are predicted by sequence stratigraphic models, yet few reliable criteria are available to diagnose falling‐stage deltaic systems in surface exposures. Recent work on the Upper Cretaceous (Turonian) Ferron Sandstone in the western Henry Mountains Syncline of south‐central Utah has established its environment of deposition as a series of modest‐sized (5 to 20 km wide), probably asymmetrical, mixed‐influence deltas (‘Ferron Notom Delta’) that dispersed sediment eastwards from the rising Sevier orogenic hinterland into the Western Cordilleran Foreland Basin. Analysis of sandstone body stacking patterns in a 67 km long, depositional strike‐parallel (north–south) transect indicates that the growth of successive deltas was strongly forced by synsedimentary growth of a long wavelength (ca 100 km), 50 m amplitude fold structure. Herein, two discrete areas within this transect, superbly exposed in three dimensions, are documented in order to determine the details of stratal stacking patterns in the depositional dip direction, and thereby to assess the stratigraphic context of the Ferron Notom Delta. In the two study areas, dip transects expose facies representing river mouth bar to distal delta front environments over distances of 2 to 4 km. Key stratal packages are clinothems that offlap, downlap, and describe descending regressive trajectories with respective to basal and top datums; they are interpreted as the product of relative sea‐level fall. The vertical extent of clinoforms suggests that deltas prograded into <30 m of water. Furthermore, these deltaic successions preserve abundant evidence of delta front slope failure, growth faulting, and incision and filling of deep (<15 m) slope gullies. Gully fills are composed of chaotic intraformational breccia and/or massive sandstone, and constitute linear, ‘shoestring’ sandbodies in the distal portions of individual palaeodelta systems. They are interpreted to have been cut and filled during the late falling‐stage and lowstand of relative sea‐level cycles. The north–south distribution of the stratal style described above seems to be focused on the flanks of the growth anticline, and so the numerous falling‐stage systems tracts preserved within the Ferron Notom Delta probably owe their origin to synsedimentary structural growth, and the unstable fluid pressure regime that this growth imposed on the sea floor and shallow subsurface.     

Quartzite development in early Palaeozoic nearshore marine environments

Quartzites are especially characteristic of Proterozoic and Cambro‐Ordovician shallow marine strata, whereas equivalent age fluvial deposits are commonly arkosic. The absence of land vegetation in the pre‐Silurian influenced weathering processes and styles of fluvial deposition. It may also have had an impact on shallow marine sedimentation. Two field studies from the English Channel region are presented to investigate the processes leading to quartzite formation. On Alderney, nearshore marine and fluvial facies occur interbedded on a metre scale and are interpreted to represent deposition on the lower reaches of an alluvial plain, and in beach and upper shoreface environments. The marine and fluvial sandstones display marked differences in textural and mineralogical maturity, pointing to a process of sediment maturation by the destruction of feldspar and labile grains at the shoreline. At Erquy, fully mature, marine quartzites occur bounded above and below by alluvial deposits via sharp or erosional surfaces, and are interpreted to represent high energy, storm and tidally influenced lower shoreface and inner shelf deposits. A model for quartzite development is proposed where, under a cool climate, frequent storms in un‐vegetated, tectonically rejuvenated uplands provided an abundance of arkosic sand to fluvial basins and clastic shorelines. The model proposes that the marine basins were subject to high wave energies, frequent storm events and tidal currents. These were conditions conducive to transforming arkosic sand to quartz‐rich sand by the attrition of feldspar at the shoreline and in the shallow marine environment. On sediment burial, further feldspar destruction occurred during diagenesis. The proposed model highlights the potential for a step change in sediment maturity to occur at the shoreline in early Palaeozoic depositional systems tracts.     

Discovery of an outcropping Mass Transport Deposit (MTD) in the Palaeogene subalpine synclines of southeastern France: Implications on flexural sub-basin deformation

We document the sedimentary facies of a large Mass Transport Deposit (MTD) within the sand-rich sediment gravity flow-dominated deposits of the Eocene–Oligocene south-western Alpine forelands (Annot Sandstone system). The MTD with an approximated volume of several hundreds of cubic kilometres fills a sub-basin located in the Mont-Tournairet confined sub-basin. Autochthonous facies are very typical sediment gravity-flow deposits (thin-bedded classical turbidites and thick-bedded hyperconcentrated to concentrated flow deposits) that stratigraphically belong to the Annot Sandstone infill. Slumps and internal metre-large fold axes of the deformed stratigraphic intervals indicate a main transport direction towards the northwest. The seafloor instability that led to the mass-flow events within the Mont-Tournairet sub-basin could have been favoured by high sedimentation rates in a small, confined and tectonically active sub-basin, possibly enhanced by local structural deformation associated with the Triassic evaporites on the eastern side of the Mont-Tournairet confined basin. The presence of the MTD suggests that a period of increased flexural subsidence rate and basin deformation occurred in this portion of the subalpine foreland basin. Therefore, the MTD forms a stratigraphic marker of a period of tectonic activity.     

Largest Ediacaran discs from the Jodhpur Sandstone,Marwar Supergroup,India: Their palaeobiological signi?cance

Ediacaran discs from the Jodhpur Sandstone of the Marwar Supergroup, Rajasthan, exhibit a wide size ranging from a few millimetres to 75 cm in diameter. Exceptionally large size of the discs in these rocks represent the largest reported so far from any Ediacaran assemblage. Although, larger medu-soid discs have been reported from USA, they are from the middle Cambrian and even younger rocks. Presence of microbial mats and weed-like structures with well preserved hold fasts and horizontal rhizome-like structures in association with some of these large-sized discs support their animal affinity, which probably feed on this weed-like vegetations. This association also supports their benthic habitat. Unlike the general trend of sudden increase in size of organisms in Ediacaran period and further decrease in size during Cambrian, these discs continued increasing in size in Cambrian also.     

Provenance, Tectonic Setting and Geochemistry of Ahwaz Sandstone Member (Asmari Formation, Oligo-Miocene), Marun Oilfield, Zagros Basin, SW Iran

The Asmari Formation deposited in the Zagros foreland basin during the OligoceneMiocene. Lithologically, the Asmari Formation consists of limestone, dolomitic limestone, dolomite, argillaceous limestone, some anhydrite(Kalhur Member) and sandstones(Ahwaz Member). This study is based on the analysis of core samples from four subsurface sections(wells Mn-68, Mn-281, Mn-292 and Mn-312) in the Marun Oilfield in the Dezful embayment subzone in order to infer their provenance and tectonic setting of the Ahwaz Sandstone Member. Petrographical data reveal that the Ahwaz Sandstone comprises 97.5% quartz, 1.6% feldspar, and 0.9% rock fragments and all samples are classified as quartz arenites. The provenance and tectonic setting of the Ahwaz Sandstone have been assessed using integrated petrographic and geochemical studies. Petrographic analysis reveals that mono- and poly-crystalline quartz grains from metamorphic and igneous rocks of a craton interior setting were the dominant sources. Chemically, major and trace element concentrations in the rocks of the Ahwaz Sandstone indicate deposition in a passive continental margin setting. As indicated by the CIW′ index(chemical index of weathering) of the Ahwaz Sandstone(average value of 82) their source area underwent "intense" recycling but "moderate to high" degree of chemical weathering. The petrography and geochemistry results are consistent with a tropical, humid climate and low-relief highlands.     

东濮凹陷三叠系砂岩储层构造裂缝特征及形成期次

根据露头、 岩心、 薄片、 古地磁、 成像测井、 岩石力学实验等资料;对东濮凹陷北部三叠系砂岩储层构造裂缝特征及形成期次进行分析。东濮凹陷三叠系砂岩储层主要发育北北东、 北东和近东西向3组高角度构造裂缝;裂缝走向近于平行或垂直主断层;倾向为北西和南东。二马营组裂缝较为发育;和尚沟组和刘家沟组裂缝相对不发育。储层裂缝为3期;分别为燕山早期的北西向扩张裂缝和北北西、 北西西向剪切裂缝;燕山晚期形成北东向拉张裂缝;喜马拉雅期形成北北东、 北东向拉张裂缝、 北北东向剪切裂缝和东西向扩张裂缝。古、 今构造应力场和岩石力学性质的各向异性分析表明;现今构造应力场最大水平主应力和岩石抗压强度的各向异性均影响燕山早期北西向裂缝的张开度及有效性。储层裂缝表现为两期;分别为燕山晚期的北东向拉张裂缝、 喜马拉雅期的北北东、 北东向拉张裂缝;北北东向剪切裂缝和东西向扩张裂缝。研究结果阐明了东濮凹陷北部三叠系砂岩储层构造裂缝特征及发育规律。     

Ichnology and Depositional Environment of the Cambrian Nagaur Sandstone (Nagaur Group) Along the Dulmera Section,Bikaner-Nagaur Basin,Rajasthan

Abstract: The Lower Cambrian Nagaur Sandstone (Marwar Supergroup) has yielded trace fossils Treptichnus, Cruziana, serially repeated Rusophycus, Diplichnites, Monomorphichnus, Bergaueria, arthropod swimming traces and leap frogging marks of Cruziana ichnofacies. This ichnofossils assemblage is dominantly preserved in fine to medium grained red sandstone beds of the Mohra Member (Nagaur Sandstone). The presence of graded rip-up clasts, current ripples, dune cross-stratification with mud drapes and tidal bundles indicates a subtidal paleoenvironment for the deposition of Nagaur Sandstone Formation, which is corroborated by the Cruziana ichnofacies trace fossil assemblage.     

U–Pb ages of detrital zircons within the Inthanon Zone of the Paleo-Tethyan subduction zone,northern Thailand: New constraints on accretionary age and arc activity

U–Pb dating of detrital zircons was performed on mélange-hosted lithic and basaltic sandstones from the Inthanon Zone in northern Thailand to determine the timing of accretion and arc activity associated with Paleo-Tethys subduction. The detrital zircons have peak ages at 3400–3200, 2600–2400, 1000–700, 600–400, and 300–250 Ma, similar to the peaks ages of detrital zircons associated with other circum-Paleo-Tethys subduction zones. We identified two types of sandstone in the study area based on the youngest detrital zircon ages: Type 1 sandstones have Late Carboniferous youngest zircon U–Pb ages of 308 ± 14 and 300 ± 16 Ma, older than associated radiolarian chert blocks within the same outcrop. In contrast, Type 2 sandstones have youngest zircon U–Pb ages of 238 ± 10 and 236 ± 15 Ma, suggesting a Middle Triassic maximum depositional age. The youngest detrital zircons in Type 1 sandstones were derived from a Late Carboniferous–Early Permian ‘missing’ arc, suggesting that the Sukhothai Arc was active during sedimentation. The data presented within this study provide information on the development of the Sukhothai Arc, and further suggest that subduction of the Paleo-Tethyan oceanic plate beneath the Indochina Block had already commenced by the Late Carboniferous. Significant Middle Triassic arc magmatism, following the Late Carboniferous–Early Permian arc activity, is inferred from the presence of conspicuous detrital zircon U–Pb age peaks in Type 2 sandstones and the igneous rock record of the Sukhothai Arc. In contrast, only minimal arc activity occurred during the Middle Permian–earliest Triassic. Type 1 sandstones were deposited between the Late Permian and the earliest Triassic, after the deposition of associated Middle–Late Permian cherts that occur in the same mélanges and during a hiatus in Sukhothai Arc magmatism. In contrast, Type 2 sandstones were deposited during the Middle Triassic, coincident with the timing of maximum magmatism in the Sukhothai Arc, as evidenced by the presence of abundant Middle Triassic detrital zircons. These two types of sandstone were probably derived from discrete accretionary units in an original accretionary prism that was located along the western margin of the Sukhothai Arc.     

勐腊县茅草山铜矿区河边矿段矿床成因

铜矿体赋存于白垩系曼宽河组(K2m)及F2断层层间构造破碎带内,构造与层位共同控矿。成因属中低温热液型矿床,具有一定的找矿前景。