TY - JOUR
T1 - Provenance of sandstones from the Neoproterozoic Bombouaka Group of the Volta Basin, northeastern Ghana
AU - Anani, C. Y.
AU - Mahamuda, A.
AU - Kwayisi, D.
AU - Asiedu, D. K.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, Saudi Society for Geosciences.
PY - 2017/11/1
Y1 - 2017/11/1
N2 - The provenance and tectonic setting of sandstones from the Bombouaka Group of the Voltaian Supergroup, in the northeastern part of Ghana, have been constrained from their petrography and whole-rock geochemistry. Modal analysis carried out by point-counting sandstone samples indicates that they are quartz arenites. The index of compositional variability values and SiO2/Al2O3, Zr/Sc, and Th/Sc values indicates that the sediments are mature. The sandstones are depleted in CaO and Na2O. They are, however, enriched in K2O, Ba, and Rb relative to average Neoproterozoic upper crust. These characteristics reflect intense chemical weathering in the source region as proven by high weathering indices (i.e., CIA, PIA, and CIW). In comparison with average Neoproterozoic upper crust, the sandstones show depletion by transition metals and enrichment by high field strength elements. They generally show chondrite-normalized fractionated light rare-earth element (LREE) patterns (average LaN/SmN = 4.40), negative Eu anomalies (average Eu/Eu* = 0.61), and generally flat heavy rare-earth elements (HREE) (average GdN/YbN = 1.13). The sandstones have La/Sc, Th/Sc, La/Co, Th/Co, Th/Cr, and Eu/Eu* ratios similar to those of sandstones derived from felsic source. Mixing calculations using the rare-earth elements (REE) suggests 48% tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite and 52% granite as possible proportions for the source of the sandstones. Both the petrographic and whole-rock geochemical data point to a passive margin setting for the sandstones from the Bombouaka Group.
AB - The provenance and tectonic setting of sandstones from the Bombouaka Group of the Voltaian Supergroup, in the northeastern part of Ghana, have been constrained from their petrography and whole-rock geochemistry. Modal analysis carried out by point-counting sandstone samples indicates that they are quartz arenites. The index of compositional variability values and SiO2/Al2O3, Zr/Sc, and Th/Sc values indicates that the sediments are mature. The sandstones are depleted in CaO and Na2O. They are, however, enriched in K2O, Ba, and Rb relative to average Neoproterozoic upper crust. These characteristics reflect intense chemical weathering in the source region as proven by high weathering indices (i.e., CIA, PIA, and CIW). In comparison with average Neoproterozoic upper crust, the sandstones show depletion by transition metals and enrichment by high field strength elements. They generally show chondrite-normalized fractionated light rare-earth element (LREE) patterns (average LaN/SmN = 4.40), negative Eu anomalies (average Eu/Eu* = 0.61), and generally flat heavy rare-earth elements (HREE) (average GdN/YbN = 1.13). The sandstones have La/Sc, Th/Sc, La/Co, Th/Co, Th/Cr, and Eu/Eu* ratios similar to those of sandstones derived from felsic source. Mixing calculations using the rare-earth elements (REE) suggests 48% tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite and 52% granite as possible proportions for the source of the sandstones. Both the petrographic and whole-rock geochemical data point to a passive margin setting for the sandstones from the Bombouaka Group.
KW - Geochemistry
KW - Mature sediments
KW - Modal analysis
KW - Siliciclastic
KW - Source rock
KW - Tectonic setting
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85032573393&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s12517-017-3243-2
DO - 10.1007/s12517-017-3243-2
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85032573393
SN - 1866-7511
VL - 10
JO - Arabian Journal of Geosciences
JF - Arabian Journal of Geosciences
IS - 21
M1 - 465
ER -