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Source and origin of glacial paleovalley-fill sediments (Upper Ordovician) of Sarah Formation in central Saudi Arabia

مصدر وأصل رواسب الأودية الجليدية القديمة لمتكون صاره (الاردوفيشي العلوي) في وسط المملكة العربية السعودية

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Abstract

A study was carried out on the combination of petrographies, geochemistry (major and trace), weathering and the digenesis of 31 sandstones samples to determine their provenance and depositional tectonic setting of sedimentary basins. Based on the composition of Detrital grains (point counting), most of the Sarah sandstones were classified as quartz arenites types (99% on an average). The petrographic data indicated that the resultant mature sandstones are derived from recycled and craton interior tectonic provenance. Tectonic setting discrimination diagrams based on major elements suggest that sandstones were deposited in a passive margin and polycyclic continental tectonic setting. The relationship between K2O/Na2O ratio and SiO2 showed that the Sarah sandstone samples fall into the passive margin field. The chemical index of alteration (CIA = 63.84%) of sandstones suggested moderate weathering or reworking in the area. The concentration of trace elements indicates that the sediments were probably derived from the mixed sedimentary-meta sedimentary provenance and changes in sedimentary process due to climatic variations. The main diagenetic events were in the form of cements, which occur as grain coats and as pore fillings. An integrated approach showed that the parent area of paleovalley-fill sediment is probably a complex of granite, metasedimentary and pre-existing sedimentary rocks.

د/عمر بن عساف الحربي و د/ محمد مجتبا خانمدينة الملك عبدالعزيز للعلوم و التقنية11442

الملخص:

ص ب 6086 الرياض أجريت الدراسة باستخدام الوصف الصخري المجهري و التحليل الكيميائي (عناصر رئيسية وشحيحة) والتجوية والنشأة المتأخرة على 31 عينة من الحجر الرملي و ذلك لتحديد مصدرها والوضع التكتوني للحوض الترسيبي. بناء على نوع الحبيبات الحتاتية فأن حجر رمل متكون صاره يصنف في نطاق كوارتز ارينيت (في المتوسط 99%). كما ان الوصف الصخري المجهري يدل على أن مصدر الحجر الرملى النقي هوا نتيجة لإعادة ترسيب و مصدر كراتوني تكتوني داخلي. كما توضح الرسوم البيانية لوصف الوضع التكتوني والمبني على العناصر الكيميائية الرئيسة في أن حجر رمل صاره ترسب في مناطق ذات ثبات تكتوني وذات صخور اعيد ترسيبها. العلاقة بين نسبة K2O/Na2O و SiO2 تدل على أن حجر رمل متكون صاره يقع في مناطق ذات ثبات تكتوني. وتشير قيمة دليل التعديل الكيميائي (CIA= 63.84%) لحجر الرمل الى انها تعرضت الى تجوية متوسطة أو أعيد ترسيبها في منطقة الترسيب. تركيز العناصر الشحيحة تشير إلى أن هذه مصدر الرواسب من مختلطة من صخور رسوبية و صخور رسوبية متحوله كما أن التغير في العمليات الترسيبة يعزى الى التغير المناخي. يمثل اللحام بين الحبيبات الحتاتيه غالبية عملية النشأة المتأخرة والتى تتمثل في تكونه حول الحبيبات وبين الحبيبات الفتاتية. من خلال جميع الدلائل يتضح ان اصل ومصدر رواسب الأودية الجليدية القديمة لمتكون صاره يتكون من معقدات جرانيتية و صخور رسوبية متحولة و صخور رسوبية.

الكلمات الدالة: جليديات الأودية القديمة، أصل، جيوكيمياء، تجويه، نشأه متأخرة.

: لمراسلة المؤلفoalharbi@kacst.edu.sa

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) for financial support for this research.

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  1. King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, P. O. Box 6086, Riyadh, 11442, Saudi Arabia

    Omar A. Al-Harbi & M. Mujtaba Khan

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  1. Omar A. Al-Harbi
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Correspondence to Omar A. Al-Harbi.

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Al-Harbi, O.A., Khan, M.M. Source and origin of glacial paleovalley-fill sediments (Upper Ordovician) of Sarah Formation in central Saudi Arabia. Arab J Geosci 4, 825–835 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-009-0097-2

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