Imported quartz cement in aeolian sandstone grew from water of uniform composition but has complex zonation

Sullivan, M.D., Macaulay, C.I., Fallick, A.E. and Haszeldine, R.S. (1997) Imported quartz cement in aeolian sandstone grew from water of uniform composition but has complex zonation. Terra Nova, 9(5-6), pp. 237-241. (doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3121.1997.tb00020.x)

Abstract

The origins and volumes of waters which mass-transport silica in sedimentary basins remain obscure. Many previous analytical studies have illustrated cases where quartz cements in sandstones originate from complex and variable fluids. By contrast we show, by using a combination of separation and analytical techniques, that in Lower Permian sandstones of the southern North Sea the cementing fluid was isotopically uniform during growth of quartz cement with a δ^1BO of 19.6 + 1.0%‰ V-SMOW. In this relatively uniform fluid quartz cements grew and developed complex cathodoluminescence (CL) zonations. Petrographic data show that 8–10% quartz cement (locally 30%) was imported into this 380 km²× 180 m thick aeolian sandstone, and cement distribution controlled by depositional permeabilities. We infer a large-scale, high volume, flux of evolved meteoric fluid during 2 km deep burial, and show that complex CL zonation may arise from relatively subtle changes in water composition.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Fallick, Professor Anthony
• Authors: Sullivan, M.D., Macaulay, C.I., Fallick, A.E., and Haszeldine, R.S.
• Subjects: Q Science > QE Geology
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre
• Journal Name: Terra Nova
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
• ISSN: 0954-4879
• ISSN (Online): 1365-3121
• Published Online: 10 November 2006