Evidence for Hydrothermal Influences During Deposition in Organic Shale Using XRF and SEM Techniques in the Horn River Group and Besa River Formation, Northeast British Columbia, Canada

Date
2014-08-26
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Abstract
Chemical stratigraphy has a variety of applications in both academic and commercial geology studies. Current mainstream belief is that the Horn River Group and analogous Devonian organic shale units in North America were deposited in a restricted anoxic basin and silicified due to diatom and radiolarian tests producing concentrations of biogenic silica (Bustin & Ross, 2009). This hypothesis proposes that relative sea level changes and associated seawater chemistry are the primary controls on preservation of organic matter and the formation of pyrite. After studying these rocks using XRF and SEM techniques there is little evidence to support the claims. There is however strong evidence of syn-depositional hydrothermal fluid interactions with the sediments originating from extensional faulting. SEDEX type mineralization and hydrothermal minerals including hyalophane, celsian, and potassium feldspar are present in authigenic quartz cements. In addition organics in close proximity show variable maturation and association with quartz cementation.
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Geology
Citation
Weedmark, T. C. (2014). Evidence for Hydrothermal Influences During Deposition in Organic Shale Using XRF and SEM Techniques in the Horn River Group and Besa River Formation, Northeast British Columbia, Canada (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/25999