A Paleoproterozoic drowned carbonate platform on the southeastern margin of the Wyoming Craton: a record of the Kenorland breakup

The Nash Fork Formation in the upper part of the early Paleoproterozoic Snowy Pass Supergroup, Medicine Bow Mountains of Wyoming, was deposited on a mature passive margin along the southern flank of the Wyoming Craton and straddles the end of the ca. 2.2–2.1 Ga carbon isotope excursion. Two drowning events marked by black shales subdivide the carbonate platform into three parts. The lower Nash Fork Formation consists of outer shelf to supratidal deposits represented by massive and stromatolitic dolomites, heterolithic siliciclastics-carbonates, large silicified domal digitate stromatolites, nodular dolomites and stromatolitic dolomites. Molds after evaporite crystals are pervasive in the heterolithic siliciclastics-carbonates. Large silicified domal digitate stromatolites formed biostromes and bioherms following flooding events. The middle Nash Fork Formation comprises two intervals of black shale separated by inner shelf heterolithic siliciclastics-nodular carbonates. Black shales are organic- and pyrite-rich, contain turbidites and developed in response to drowning of the platform. Overlying massive dolomite of the upper Nash Fork Formation was deposited in an unprotected intertidal setting and displays an upward-shallowing trend terminated by a prominent karstic surface in the middle of the unit. The Nash Fork Formation is open-marine with no evidence for restricted circulation on the carbonate platform. The two drowning events on the carbonate platform are likely related to dissection of the mature passive margin associated with the breakup of Kenorland. The younger drowning event is associated with the end of the carbon isotope excursion. The main building elements of the lower and middle Nash Fork carbonate platform are dolomitic mudstones and stromatolites. Macroscopic seafloor precipitates are volumetrically negligible with the exception of tufa deposits and domes in the massive and stromatolitic dolomites and, possibly, digitate stromatolites within domal digitate stromatolites. The upper Nash Fork Formation comprises dolomitic mudstones, relatively rare stromatolites and inorganic precipitates that are more common than in the underlying carbonates. Styles of carbonate deposition on this early Paleoproterozoic platform differ from those documented on late Archean carbonate platforms; there are fewer macroscopic seafloor precipitates and more dolomitic mudstones. This pattern is considered to be related to a rise of the atmospheric oxygen level that led to a decrease in bicarbonate saturation in the ocean.