Petrography and Tectonic Provenance of the Cretaceous Sandstones of the Bredasdorp Basin, off the South Coast of South Africa: Evidence from Framework Grain Modes
The Cretaceous sandstones of the Bredasdorp Basin were investigated to recognize their composition, provenance, and tectonic setting. Ninety-two samples of sandstones from exploration wells E-AH1, E-AJ1, E-BA1, E-BB1, and E-D3 were investigated using both petrographic and X-ray diffraction (XRD) met...
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MDPI AG
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Geosciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/10/9/340 |
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| author | Temitope Love Baiyegunhi Kuiwu Liu Oswald Gwavava Christopher Baiyegunhi |
| author_facet | Temitope Love Baiyegunhi Kuiwu Liu Oswald Gwavava Christopher Baiyegunhi |
| author_sort | Temitope Love Baiyegunhi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Cretaceous sandstones of the Bredasdorp Basin were investigated to recognize their composition, provenance, and tectonic setting. Ninety-two samples of sandstones from exploration wells E-AH1, E-AJ1, E-BA1, E-BB1, and E-D3 were investigated using both petrographic and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. Petrographic studies based on quantitative investigation of the detrital framework grain shows that the Bredasdorp sandstones chiefly consist of quartz (52.2–68.0%), feldspar (10.0–18.0%), and lithic fragments (5.0–10.2%). These sandstones are mostly fine grained, moderately well-sorted, and subrounded to rounded. The modal composition data shows that the sandstones could be classified as subarkosic arenite and lithic arkose. Such a composition of the sandstones perhaps indicates the interplay of pulses of fast uplift of the source area and rapid subsidence of the Bredasdorp Basin, with subsequent periods of calmness within the transgressive-regressive sequence in a rift tectonic regime. The provenance ternary diagrams revealed that the sandstones are mainly of continental block provenances (stable shields and basement uplifted areas) and complemented by recycled sands from an associated platform. The tectonic provenance studies of Bredasdorp Basin revealed that the sandstones are typically rift sandstones and have undergone long-distance transport from the source area along the rift. In the regional context of the evolution of the Bredasdorp Basin, the results presented in this study inferred that the basin developed on a rift passive setting (trailing edge) of the stable continental margins. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:45:06Z |
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| issn | 2076-3263 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:45:06Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
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| series | Geosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-a2db709f66814de2a7ddbb0caa836ea92023-11-20T11:40:20ZengMDPI AGGeosciences2076-32632020-08-0110934010.3390/geosciences10090340Petrography and Tectonic Provenance of the Cretaceous Sandstones of the Bredasdorp Basin, off the South Coast of South Africa: Evidence from Framework Grain ModesTemitope Love Baiyegunhi0Kuiwu Liu1Oswald Gwavava2Christopher Baiyegunhi3Department of Geology, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, Eastern Cape Province, South AfricaDepartment of Geology, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, Eastern Cape Province, South AfricaDepartment of Geology, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, Eastern Cape Province, South AfricaDepartment of Geology and Mining, University of Limpopo, Private Bag X1106, Sovenga 0727, Limpopo Province, South AfricaThe Cretaceous sandstones of the Bredasdorp Basin were investigated to recognize their composition, provenance, and tectonic setting. Ninety-two samples of sandstones from exploration wells E-AH1, E-AJ1, E-BA1, E-BB1, and E-D3 were investigated using both petrographic and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. Petrographic studies based on quantitative investigation of the detrital framework grain shows that the Bredasdorp sandstones chiefly consist of quartz (52.2–68.0%), feldspar (10.0–18.0%), and lithic fragments (5.0–10.2%). These sandstones are mostly fine grained, moderately well-sorted, and subrounded to rounded. The modal composition data shows that the sandstones could be classified as subarkosic arenite and lithic arkose. Such a composition of the sandstones perhaps indicates the interplay of pulses of fast uplift of the source area and rapid subsidence of the Bredasdorp Basin, with subsequent periods of calmness within the transgressive-regressive sequence in a rift tectonic regime. The provenance ternary diagrams revealed that the sandstones are mainly of continental block provenances (stable shields and basement uplifted areas) and complemented by recycled sands from an associated platform. The tectonic provenance studies of Bredasdorp Basin revealed that the sandstones are typically rift sandstones and have undergone long-distance transport from the source area along the rift. In the regional context of the evolution of the Bredasdorp Basin, the results presented in this study inferred that the basin developed on a rift passive setting (trailing edge) of the stable continental margins.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/10/9/340sandstoneclassificationprovenancetectonic settingBredasdorp Basin |
| spellingShingle | Temitope Love Baiyegunhi Kuiwu Liu Oswald Gwavava Christopher Baiyegunhi Petrography and Tectonic Provenance of the Cretaceous Sandstones of the Bredasdorp Basin, off the South Coast of South Africa: Evidence from Framework Grain Modes Geosciences sandstone classification provenance tectonic setting Bredasdorp Basin |
| title | Petrography and Tectonic Provenance of the Cretaceous Sandstones of the Bredasdorp Basin, off the South Coast of South Africa: Evidence from Framework Grain Modes |
| title_full | Petrography and Tectonic Provenance of the Cretaceous Sandstones of the Bredasdorp Basin, off the South Coast of South Africa: Evidence from Framework Grain Modes |
| title_fullStr | Petrography and Tectonic Provenance of the Cretaceous Sandstones of the Bredasdorp Basin, off the South Coast of South Africa: Evidence from Framework Grain Modes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Petrography and Tectonic Provenance of the Cretaceous Sandstones of the Bredasdorp Basin, off the South Coast of South Africa: Evidence from Framework Grain Modes |
| title_short | Petrography and Tectonic Provenance of the Cretaceous Sandstones of the Bredasdorp Basin, off the South Coast of South Africa: Evidence from Framework Grain Modes |
| title_sort | petrography and tectonic provenance of the cretaceous sandstones of the bredasdorp basin off the south coast of south africa evidence from framework grain modes |
| topic | sandstone classification provenance tectonic setting Bredasdorp Basin |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/10/9/340 |
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