Mineralogical Implications of the Middle to Upper Jurassic Succession at Sargelu Village in Sulaymaniyah City, Northeastern Iraq

Publication Name

Iraqi National Journal of Earth Science

Abstract

The present study focuses on mineralogy of the middle to upper Jurassic Sargelu, Naokelekan and Barsarin formations form northeastern Iraq to elucidate the implications of mineralogical variation for interpretation of provenance and climatic condition. The results from X-ray diffraction supported by scanning electron microscopy have revealed the presence of calcite and dolomite as dominating minerals, followed by quartz and feldspars in addition to pyrite, anatase and natrolite. The dominated clay minerals are illite-mica, kaolinite and mixed layers of illite/smectite (I/S). Illite and kaolinite are of detrital origin, while I/S is of diagenetic origin. Variation in mineralogical constituents reflects the effect of source area composition, depositional environment and diagenesis and the prevailing climatic conditions. Calcite is commonly formed in restricted evaporative conditions. Felsic igneous rocks from Zagros ophiolites and related igneous rocks, and/or Arabian Shield are suggested for the presence of detrital quartz and feldspars in addition to weathering from older clastic sedimentary rocks. Illite-mica and kaolinite as common clay minerals reflect also the contribution from felsic igneous rocks and the prevailing hot dry and humid climatic conditions which coincides with a global paleoclimatic conditions. Pyrite is formed under reducing environmental conditions. The presence of illite/smectite, natrolite and pyrite suggest the effect of diagenetic events on the studied rocks.

Open Access Status

This publication is not available as open access

Volume

24

Issue

2

First Page

212

Last Page

230

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Link to publisher version (DOI)

http://dx.doi.org/10.33899/earth.2023.143790.1155