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This study was conducted on the Ngaoundaba Crater Lake sediments to infer provenance, weathering conditions, organic matter accumulation, and trace metal concentrations. Ngaoundaba Lake sediments were collected using a manual core sampler at 5 to 8 m water depth. Two sediment cores from the littoral and center of the lake were analyzed for grain size distribution, water content (WC), organic matter content, mineralogy, and major and trace element concentrations. The Ngaoundaba sediments were classified as silt and sandy silt. Sediments show high content in organic matter, which is more to the littoral than to the center of the lake, varying from 14.6% to 24% and 21.2% to 40.8%, respectively. The grain surface features identified by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) show both chemical and mechanical microtextures with sub-rounded to angular shape suggesting both proximal and distal sources. The lake sediments are composed of quartz, kaolinite, and hematite, with low amounts of feldspars, rutile, calcite, illite, and ilmenite. Weathering indices such as the chemical index of alteration (CIA), chemical index of weathering (CIW), and index of compositional variability (ICV) indicate moderate to intense chemical weathering in the source area and immature to mature sediments. The geochemical composition indicates that the sediments were derived from felsic to intermediate igneous rocks, such as granitoids, and mafic alkali lavas like basanites. The environmental risk assessment of trace metals obtained by enrichment factor (EF) and geo-accumulation index (I-geo) shows low contamination of the lake sediments.

Zircons are abundant in the beach sediments. In this study, surface microtexture, mineralogy, bulk sediment geochemistry, trace element composition and U–Pb isotopic geochronology of detrital zircons collected from the Riachuelos and Palma Sola beach areas, southwestern Gulf of Mexico were performed to infer the sediment provenance and palaeoenvironment. The zircon microtexture was categorized as mechanically- and/or chemically-induced features. The weathering index values for the Riachuelos (~ 72–77) and Palma Sola (~ 71–74) beach sediments indicated moderate weathering of both of the two source areas. The major and trace element data of bulk sediments suggested passive margin settings for the two areas. The trace elemental ratios and chondrite-normalized rare earth element (REE) patterns of bulk sediments revealed that the sediments were likely sourced by felsic and intermediate igneous rocks. And the zircon Th/U ratios (mostly more than 0.2) and zircon REE patterns (with negative Eu and positive Ce anomalies) suggested a magmatic origin for both of the beach sediments from these two areas. Two distinct zircon age peaks respectively belonging to the Paleozoic and the Cenozoic were identified both in the Riachuelos and Palma Sola beach sediments. Zircon geochronology comparison research between the Riachuelos–Palma Sola beach sediments and potential source areas in SW Gulf of Mexico revealed that the source terrane supplied the Paleozoic zircons of this study was identified as the Mesa Central Province (MCP), and the Cenozoic zircons were transported from the nearby Eastern Alkaline Province (EAP). Moreover, although the Precambrian zircons were very few in the studied sediments, their geochronology and geochemistry results still could infer that they were contributed by the source terranes of Grenvillian igneous suites in the Oaxaca and the Chiapas Massif Complexes.

The mineralogy, bulk sediment geochemical composition, and U–Pb ages of detrital zircons retrieved from the Barra del Tordo (Tordo) and Tesoro beach sediments in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico were analyzed to determine their provenance. The beach sediments are mainly composed of quartz, ilmenite, magnetite, titanite, zircon, and anorthite. The weathering proxies such as the Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA), Chemical Index of Weathering (CIW), and Plagioclase Index of Alteration (PIA), reveal a moderate-to-high intensity of weathering in the source area. The chondrite-normalized rare earth element (REE) patterns are similar to felsic igneous rocks, with large negative europium anomaly (Eu/Eu* = ~ 0.47–0.80 and ~ 0.57–0.67 in the Tordo and Tesoro beach sediments, respectively).Three major zircon U–Pb age groups are identified in the Tordo and Tesoro beach sediments, i.e., Proterozoic (~ 2039–595 Ma), Mesozoic (~ 244–70.3 Ma), and Cenozoic (~ 65.9–1.2 Ma). The differences of the zircon age spectrum between the Tordo and Tesoro beach sediments are not significant. The comparison of zircon U–Pb ages in this study with ages of potential source terranes suggests that the Mesozoic and Cenozoic zircons of the studied Tordo and Tesoro beach sediments were derived from the Eastern Alkaline Province (EAP) and Mesa Central Province (MCP). Similarly, the likely sources for the Proterozoic zircons were the Sierra Madre Oriental (SMOr) and Oaxaquia in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. The results of this study further indicate that the sediments delivered to the beaches by rivers and redistributed by longshore currents were crucial in determining the sediment provenance.

In this study, we analyzed the mineralogy and bulk chemical composition of 20 sediment samples, as well as trace, rare earth element (REE) concentrations and U–Pb ages of 400 detrital zircons retrieved from the Bosque (PB) and Paseo del Mar (PM) coastal sediments, southwestern Gulf of Mexico, to investigate the provenance. The XRD study revealed that the PB sediments are associated with quartz, muscovite, cordierite, albite, and anorthite. The PM sediments are associated with calcite, aragonite, and biogenic materials, which derived probably within the coastal environment. The weathering indices like Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA), Chemical Index of Weathering (CIW), and Plagioclase Index of Alteration (PIA) revealed a moderate intensity of weathering for the PB sediments. The chondrite normalized REE patterns of the PB and PM sediments are with negative and positive europium anomalies (Eu/Eu*), suggesting that the sediments were derived by the combination of felsic and mafic source rocks. The Th/U ratios (>0.3) of the PB and PM zircons indicated an igneous origin. The chondrite normalized REE patterns of the PB and PM zircons are depleted in low REE (LREE) and enriched in heavy REE (HREE) with positive cerium and negative europium anomalies. A wide variation in chondrite normalized REE patterns of zircons with respect to ages was observed. The PB is dominated by Proterozoic (~551–2500 Ma) and Paleozoic zircons (~445–480 Ma; Ordovician), whereas PM is dominated by Cenozoic zircons (~5–21 Ma; Miocene), indicating that the zircons were derived from different source terranes. The Chiapas Massif (CMC) and Chuacus complexes are identified as the potential source areas, which contributed Proterozoic zircons to PB. On the other hand, Cuicateco terrane (CUI) and Tuxtla Volcanic Field (TVF) are considered as the potential source areas, which supplied significant number of Cenozoic zircons to the PM coastal area. The zircon U–Pb ages and the bulk sediment geochemistry together indicate that the source terranes, which supplied sediments to the PB and PM coastal areas, consist of mafic and felsic rocks. The results of this study further illustrated the importance of littoral currents in distributing sediments, although rivers are considered as a carrier and agent of distributing sediments along the coastal areas.

Surface features of quartz and zircon grains in the Barra del Tordo (PBT) and Tesoro (PT) beaches, NW Gulf of Mexico (GoM), were analyzed. The microtextures in the PBT and PT beaches were classified into mechanical, chemical, and mechanical/chemical origin. The quartz grains from the two beach areas were subrounded to rounded in shape. Rounded zircon grains in PT suggest that the sediments were derived by wind, long transport distance, and long residence time relative to PBT. Rounded quartz grains with the combination of bulbous and broken edges indicated a recycled provenance. Mechanical features such as V-shaped marks, impact scars, conchoidal fractures, and straight-curved grooves indicated a fluvial environment. Chemical features such as solution pits, crystal overgrowth, and adhering particles in quartz and zircon grains indicated a diagenetic environment and silica re-precipitation in a coastal environment. The association of mechanical (bulbous edge) and chemical (silica overgrowth, small and large solution pits) features in a single grain suggested a dual environment, that is, the combination of littoral and coastal environments. The sediments were also partly supplied by the coastal dunes located along the GoM coastal region and were redistributed by wave energy and littoral currents. Euhedral, subhedral, and unetched zircon grains in PBT and PT were mixed with rounded and etched grains, indicating a diverse provenance from crystalline rocks. In general, the microtextures identified on zircon and quartz grains reveal that sediments are influenced by wind, fluvial, and subaqueous marine environment and derived by nearby and distal sources.

This study examines textural characteristics, carbonate, organic carbon and chemical composition of sediment samples recovered in the nearshore region (~3–19 m water depth) at the Grijalva River mouth, southern Gulf of Mexico. The aim of this study is to assess the heavy metal contamination and provenance variations in sediments between the dry and northers (rainy) seasons. The proportion of sand, carbonate, and organic carbon contents were abundant at sites located near to the Grijalva River mouth, principally in northers season. Silt content is dominant in the dry season, especially in the sites located away from the Grijalva River mouth. The Chemical Index (CIX) values obtained for the dry (~76–84) and northers (~75–87) seasons indicated a moderate to high intensity of weathering and a humid climate in the source area. The low K2O/Al2O3 ratio values (

This study investigates the provenance, paleoweathering, and paleoclimate of the Ossa lake sediments, based on the mineralogy and geochemistry data. Ossa lake sediments are characterized by silt and clay with high content of total organic carbon (TOC). Clay minerals are identified as kaolinite and illite types. Other dominant minerals identified are quartz, zircon, rutile, goethite, gibbsite, feldspar, and accessory vivianite. The major, trace, and rare earth element concentrations indicate that the sediments were derived from felsic rocks, such as gneisses and granitoids. The tectonic discrimination diagrams revealed an active margin setting. Weathering indices such as the chemical index of alteration (CIA), the plagioclase index of alteration (PIA), and chemical index of weathering (CIW) suggest intense chemical weathering in the source area. K2O/Na2O ratio and index of compositional variation (ICV) are consistent with high maturity of the sediments. The mineral assemblages and trace elemental ratios and climatic index “C” of the Ossa Lake sediments suggest a warm to semi-humid climate and deposition in an oxic shallow environment.

Microtextures of quartz and zircon grains from the Bosque and Paseo del Mar beaches in the Gulf of Mexico were examined using a Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), to infer their provenance and palaeoenvironment. A total of 16 microtextures from 200 grains were identified and were grouped into mechanical, chemical, and mechanical/chemical origin. Microtextures of mechanical origin represent parallel striations (ps), cracks due to collision (ck), conchoidal fractures (cf), v-shaped marks (vs), abrasion fatigue (af), meandering ridges (mr), chattermarks (ch), curved (cg) and straight grooves (sg), which are attributed to a high-energy fluvial and sub-aqueous marine environment. Solution pits (sp), crystal overgrowth (cro), and silica globules (sgl) of chemical origin indicated precipitation and dissolution in a silica saturated marine environment. Adhered particles (ap), elongated depressions (dp), and relief are grouped as mechanical/chemical origin, suggested a sub-aqueous nearshore marine environment. Although zircon is considered as a resistant mineral, the frequency of microtextures observed was higher in zircon than in quartz. The results of this study revealed that the Los Tuxtlas volcanic field, Chiapas Massif and Oaxacan Complexes in the SW Gulf of Mexico are the potential source areas, which supplied sediments to the Paseo del Mar and Bosque beach areas.

Microtextures on fine to medium-grained quartz grains (65–500 μm) from three sections, i.e., Laboni, Kuakata, and Jhauban points of the Kuakata beach area, Bangladesh, were examined by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to determine the transport history, provenance, depositional environment, and paleoclimate. Thirty microtextures were observed on 180 quartz grains, which were subsequently classified as mechanical (20 features), chemical (5 features), and combined mechanical and chemical (5 features) origins. The abundance of sub-rounded to rounded quartz grains with smooth outlines, V-shaped pits, straight or curved grooves, crescent-shaped features and straight or arcuate steps, indicates that the quartz grains experienced long-distance transport through fluvial environment (e.g., Himalayan sediments). The angular to sub-angular quartz grains with straight or curved grooves, straight steps, and adhering particles inferred that they were probably derived from adjacent landmasses (e.g., Chittagong-Tripura Folded Belt and/or Indo-Burman Ranges). The well-rounded outlines, low relief with dish-shaped depressions, mechanically upturned plates, and arcuate steps were also observed, indicating aeolian processes in shoreface or beach environment. Etching, solution/irregular pits, and differential relief observed in the quartz grains indicate a subaqueous collision in fluvial and nearshore environments.

Foraminifera species distribution, 14C ages, and geochemistry data of sediment cores GM33 and GM34 recovered from the southwestern Gulf of Mexico were investigated to infer the age, sedimentation rate, provenance, heavy metal contamination, and depositional environment. Core GM34 (490 cm interval) reached an age of 34,346 ± 280 cal Yrs. BP and the average sedimentation rate was calculated as 0.014 cm/yr. The weathering indices like Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA), Chemical Index of Weathering (CIW), and Plagioclase Index of Alteration (PIA) revealed a moderate intensity of weathering in the source area. The trace elemental ratios and rare earth element (REE) patterns indicated the derivation of sediments from intermediate rocks like andesite. The trace element based bivariate (La/Sc and Co/Th) and ternary (Ni Th V) diagrams revealed that the sediments were derived mostly from andesite located along the Gulf of Mexico coastal areas. The enrichment factor and geo-accumulation index suggested the absence of heavy metal contamination in sediment cores. The redox proxy trace elemental ratios like V/Cr, Ni/Co, Cu/Zn, and (Cu + Mo)Zn suggested an oxic depositional condition. The benthic foraminiferal assemblages, Mn and Mo concentrations indicated that the late Pleistocene abyssal waters in the Gulf of Mexico were more oxygenated than the present. An absence of significant compositional variations between the core sediments revealed that the depositional condition in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico was probably similar for the last 34,346 cal Yrs. BP.

The Qiangtang Basin is the largest Mesozoic marine basin in the Tibetan Plateau. The Upper Triassic black mudstones are among the most significant hydrocarbon source rocks in this basin. Here, we present geochemical data for the Upper Triassic black mudstones to determine their paleoenvironment conditions, provenance, and tectonic setting. To achieve these, 30 black mudstones formed in various sedimentary environments were collected from the Zangxiahe, Zana, and Bagong formations. The results show that the total REE concentrations of mudstones from these formations range from 169 to 214 ppm, 204 to 220 ppm, and 141 to 194 ppm, respectively. All samples have chondrite-normalized REE patterns with enrichment of LREE, depletion of HREE and negative Eu and Ce anomalies. Specifically, mudstones from the Bagong Formation exhibit higher negative Eu anomalies and lower REE contents than those from the Zangxiahe and Zana formations. Mudstones from the Zangxiahe and Zana formations with low Sr/Ba and Sr/Cu ratios indicate the humid climate, whereas the high Sr/Ba and Sr/Cu ratios of rocks from the Bagong Formation suggest the arid climate. The low U/Th, (Cu + Mo)/Zn, V/Cr and Ni/Co ratios of rocks from the Zangxiahe, Zana, and Bagong formations are indicators of oxidized conditions. The bivariate diagrams (TiO2 vs. Al2O3, TiO2 vs. Zr, La/Th vs. Hf, and Co/Th vs. La/Sc) reveal that mudstones from the Zangxiahe and Zana formations were potentially derived from intermediate igneous rocks, whereas mudstones from the Bagong Formation were probably sourced from felsic igneous rocks. Their source rocks are mostly deposited in the collisional setting. REE of mudstones from the Zangxiahe, Zana, and Bagong formations were possibly originated from terrigenous detritus, with minor non-terrigenous contributions into the Zana samples. The REE contents of these mudstones are controlled mainly by terrigenous detrital minerals, rather than by the paleoclimate, paleoredox conditions, or organic matter. However, calcite minerals could dilute REE. Therefore, the REE contents of the Bagong Formation mudstones are significant lower than those of the Zangxiahe and Zana formations mudstones.

The Lobe River (LR) watershed basement rock, Ntem Complex (NC), south Cameroon is covered by a thick lateritic soil. To better constrain the geology of the basement rock, textural, mineralogical and bulk geochemical (major, trace, and rare earth elements) analyses were undertaken on the recent stream sediments from the LR. The aims of this study were to investigate the provenance of sediments and to determine the weathering intensity of the source area. The ternary (Al 2O3–TiO2 –Zr) and binary (Th/Sc–Zr/Sc) diagrams suggested high sediment recycling and sorting, indicating that the bulk hydraulic energy of the LR controls the sediment texture. Despite the diagenetic processes of K-metasomatism observed on the A-CN-K plot, the (A-K)-C-N plot, Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA), and Plagioclase Index of Alteration (PIA) indicate that the studied sediments and their source areas underwent a high degree of chemical weathering. The heavy mineral suites imply heterogeneous provenance, including igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary source rocks. The ternary diagrams and Co/Th, La/Sc, Sc/Th, Cr/V, and Y/Ni elemental ratios indicate mostly felsic source rocks with lesser contribution from mafic components. The comparison of chondrite normalized REE patterns of LR sediments with potential source rocks reveals that the sediments were derived from the Precambrian basement rocks composed of tonalitic, trondhjemitic, and granodioritic suites, with remnants derived from Archean Greenstone Belt .

Mineralogic and geochemical studies were performed in the Tecolutla and Coatzacoalcos beach sediments, located at the SW Gulf of Mexico. The main concern of this article is to infer the weathering, provenance, and degree in which trace metal pollution affects the beach sediment composition. The chemical index of weathering (CIX) for the Tecolutla and Coatzacoalcos beach sediments indicate a moderate intensity of weathering in the source area. The SiO2/Al2O3 ratio values (>6) in the Tecolutla and Coatzacoalcos sediments suggested a high compositional maturity and recycling. A difference in the Al2O3/TiO2 ratios between the Tecolutla and Coatzacoalcos beach sediments points out that the sediments were derived from intermediate and felsic igneous rocks, respectively. A negative correlation for Al2O3 against TiO2 and P2O5, and trace elements Y, Nb, V, Sc, and Cr for the beach sediments suggests an association of these elements with detrital minerals rather than aluminosilicates. The provenance discrimination based on major element concentrations indicates an intermediate and a felsic provenance for the Tecolutla and Coatzacoalcos sediments. The major and trace element geochemistry of beach sediments are associated with a passive margin setting. The Enrichment factor (EF) and Geo accumulation index (Igeo) values show that the Tecolutla sediments are moderately enriched by Cu (EF ∼ 10–17) and Cr (1

Microtextures on quartz grains from the Huatabampo (HB) and Altata (AA) beaches, Gulf of California, were analyzed by a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to infer the depositional history and provenance. In total, 41 microtextures were identified and grouped as mechanical, mechanical/chemical, and chemical mode of origins. Among them, twenty-three microtextures represent mechanical, eight represent mechanical/chemical, and ten represent chemical origin. The microtextures of chemical origin were further classified as dissolutional and precipitational origins. Oriented etch pits, solution pits, solution crevasses, and scaling are classified as of dissolutional origin. Silica globules, silica flower, silica pellicles, crystalline overgrowth, trapped diatoms, and halite crystals are grouped as chemical precipitational origin. The V-shaped marks, straight and curved scratches revealed the combination of fluvial and high energy subaqueous beach environments. The low frequencies of upturned plates, abrasion fatigue, meandering ridges, crescentic percussion marks, bulbous edges and elongated depressions suggest the low abundance of sediments derived by aeolian transport. The microtextures of chemical origin in few grains indicated the diagenetic processes in a silica saturated intertidal zone. The quartz grains from HB and AA beaches reveal varying sizes of conchoidal fractures indicate that they were derived mainly from crystalline source rocks. The association of straight and arcuate steps along with conchoidal fractures further support that the studied quartz grains were liberated from crystalline rocks. The dominance of angular to sub-angular grains indicates short transport and rapid deposition. In addition, straight and arcuate steps are delicate features which might have been destroyed during long transportation. Thus, the presence of straight and arcuate steps features together with angular to sub-angular grains support a nearby source.

This study investigated the bulk sediment geochemistry, U–Pb ages and rare earth element (REE) geochemistry of one hundred detrital zircons recovered from the Brujas beach sands in southwestern Gulf of Mexico to understand the provenance and age spectra. The bulk sediments are high in Zr and Hf contents (∼1400–3773 ppm and ∼33–90 ppm, respectively) suggested the abundance of resistant mineral zircon. The chondrite normalized REE patterns of the bulk sediments are less fractionated with enriched low REE (LREE; La CN /Sm CN = ∼491–693), depleted heavy REE (HREE; Gd CN /Yb CN = ∼44–69) and a negative Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu ∗ = ∼0.44–0.67) suggested that the source rock is felsic type. The results of this study revealed highly varied contents of Th (∼4.2–321 ppm), U (∼20.7–1680 ppm), and Hf (∼6970–14,200 ppm) in detrital zircons compared to bulk sands. The total REE content (∼75 and 1600 ppm) and its chondrite-normalized pattern with positive Ce and negative Eu anomalies as well as low Th/U ratio of zircon grains indicated that they were dominantly of magmatic origin. U–Pb data of zircons indicated two age populations, with predominance of Permian-Triassic (∼216–286 Ma) and Neoproterozoic (∼551–996 Ma). The Permian-Triassic zircons were contributed by the granitoids and recycled metasedimentary rocks of the Chiapas Massif Complex. The major contribution of Neoproterozoic zircons was from the Chaucus, Oaxacan, and Chiapas Massif Complexes in Grenville Province, southern Mexico. U–Pb ages of zircons from the Brujas beach are consistent to the reported zircon ages from the drainage basins of Usumacinta, Coatzacoalcos, and Grijalva Rivers in southern Mexico, suggesting that the sediments delivered by the rivers to the beach area are vital in defining the provenance of placers.

A new multidimensional scheme consistent with the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) is proposed for the classification of igneous rocks in terms of four magma types: ultrabasic, basic, intermediate, and acid. Our procedure is based on an extensive database of major element composition of a total of 33,868 relatively fresh rock samples having a multinormal distribution (initial database with 37,215 samples). Multinormally distributed database in terms of log-ratios of samples was ascertained by a new computer program DOMuDaF, in which the discordancy test was applied at the 99.9% confidence level. Isometric log-ratio (ilr) transformation was used to provide overall percent correct classification of 88.7%, 75.8%, 88.0%, and 80.9% for ultrabasic, basic, intermediate, and acid rocks, respectively. Given the known mathematical and uncertainty propagation properties, this transformation could be adopted for routine applications. The incorrect classification was mainly for the “neighbour” magma types, e.g., basic for ultrabasic and vice versa. Some of these misclassifications do not have any effect on multidimensional tectonic discrimination. For an efficient application of this multidimensional scheme, a new computer program MagClaMSys_ilr (MagClaMSys—Magma Classification Major-element based System) was written, which is available for on-line processing on http://tlaloc.ier.unam.mx/index.html . This classification scheme was tested from newly compiled data for relatively fresh Neogene igneous rocks and was found to be consistent with the conventional IUGS procedure. The new scheme was successfully applied to inter-laboratory data for three geochemical reference materials (basalts JB-1 and JB-1a, and andesite JA-3) from Japan and showed that the inferred magma types are consistent with the rock name (basic for basalts JB-1 and JB-1a and intermediate for andesite JA-3). The scheme was also successfully applied to five case studies of older Archaean to Mesozoic igneous rocks. Similar or more reliable results were obtained from existing tectonomagmatic discrimination diagrams when used in conjunction with the new computer program as compared to the IUGS scheme. The application to three case studies of igneous provenance of sedimentary rocks was demonstrated as a novel approach. Finally, we show that the new scheme is more robust for post-emplacement compositional changes than the conventional IUGS procedure.

Thirty-five near-surface sediment samples were recovered from the continental shelf and upper slope regions of the northwestern (NW) Gulf of Mexico. The geochemical data of the sediments recovered were examined to investigate the weathering intensity, provenance, palaeo-oxygenation condition, and level of heavy metal contamination. The sediments analysed showed a moderate to high intensity of chemical weathering. Major and trace element concentrations indicated a terrigenous origin, closely related to the weathering of rocks rich in aluminosilicates. The results of this study further revealed that major rivers, the Bravo and Soto La Marina, played an important role in delivering sediments to the study area. The concentration of transition trace elements such as Cr, Cu, Ni, and V revealed that the sediments were derived from intermediate rocks such as andesite. The V/Cr, Ni/Co, and Cu/Zn ratios in the sediments were

The mineralogy, geochemistry, and radiocarbon ages of two sediment cores (GMX1 and GMX2) collected from the deep sea area of the Southwestern Gulf of Mexico (∼876–1752 m water depth) were studied to infer the sedimentation rate, provenance, heavy metal contamination, and depositional environment. The sediments are dominated by silt and clay fractions. The mineralogy determined by X-Ray diffractometry for the sediment cores reveals that montmorillonite and muscovite are the dominant clay minerals. The sections between 100 and 210 cm of the sediment cores GMX1 and GMX2, respectively, are characterized by the G. menardii group and G. Inflata planktonic foraminiferal species, which represent the Holocene and Pleistocene, respectively. The radiocarbon-age measurements of mixed planktonic foraminifera varied from ∼268 to 45,738 cal. years B.P and ∼104 to 25,705 cal. years B.P, for the sediment cores GMX1 and GMX2, respectively. The variation in age between the two sediment cores is due to a change in sediment accumulation rate, which was lowest at the location GMX1 (0.006 cm/yr) and highest at the location GMX2 (0.017 cm/yr). The chemical index of alteration (CIA), chemical index of weathering (CIW), and index of chemical maturity (ICV) values indicated a moderate intensity of weathering in the source area. The total rare earth element concentrations (∑REE) in the cores GMX1 and GMX2 vary from ∼94 to 171 and ∼78 to 151, respectively. The North American Shale Composite (NASC) normalized REE patterns showed flat low REE (LREE), heavy REE (HREE) depletion with low negative to positive Eu anomalies, which suggested that the sediments were likely derived from intermediate source rocks. The enrichment factor of heavy metals indicated that the Cd and Zn concentrations in the sediment cores were impacted by an anthropogenic source. The redox-proxy trace element ratios such as V/Cr, Ni/Co, Cu/Zn, (Cu + Mo)/Zn, and Ce/Ce* indicated that the sediments were deposited under an oxic depositional environment. The similarity in major element concentrations, REE content, and the NASC normalised REE patterns between the cores GMX1 and GMX2 revealed that the provenance of sediments remained relatively uniform or constant during deposition for ∼4.5 Ma. The major and trace element based multidimensional discrimination diagrams showed a rift setting for the core sediments, which is consistent with the geology of the Gulf of Mexico.

Discrimination of active and passive margins is important from both academic and economic aspects. This can only be successfully achieved, however, if there are major compositional differences among sediments derived from different continental margins. A worldwide database of active and passive margin settings was established from published major and trace element geochemical data of Neogene to Quaternary siliciclastic sediments. These data were used to evaluate the performance of existing discrimination diagrams, which were shown to work unsatisfactorily with success values of mostly between 0% and 30%. Because these diagrams were not based on a statistically coherent methodology, we proposed two new discriminant functions from linear discriminant analysis of multinormally distributed isometric log-transformed ratios of major and combined major and trace elements. These new diagrams showed very high percent success values of about 87%–97% and 84%–86% for the active and passive margins, respectively, for the original database. Excellent performance of the multidimensional diagrams and related discriminant functions was confirmed from 11 test studies involving Quaternary to Holocene siliciclastic sediments from known tectonic margins. The expected result of an active or passive margin was obtained, with most samples plotting correctly in the respective field.

Combined petrographic and geochemical data of the siliciclastic sedimentary rocks from the Shemshak Group in the northeastern Alborz Mountains, north of Iran are described, together with their implications for palaeoweathering, their provenance, and tectonic setting. Based on field observations and modal composition, the sandstones are classified as litharenites. The chemical index of alteration (CIA) indicated that the source terrains underwent a moderate intensity of chemical weathering. The index of chemical variation (ICV) values indicated that the Shemshak Group rocks were immature and related to a source area with an active tectonic regime. Major, trace and rare earth element (REE) data suggested the domination of mixed sedimentary (recycled) and igneous rocks in the source area of the Shemshak Group. Petrographic and geochemical characteristics of Shemshak Group rocks suggest an active continental margin (ACM), which corresponds to the collision of the Iran plate with the Turan plate.

Compositional and geochemical analyses of sands collected from the Chachalacas (CHA) and Veracruz (VER) beach areas along the western Gulf of Mexico were studied to determine the provenance and tectonic setting of the source region. The modal composition showed that the proportion of quartz (Q) is lower in CHA than in VER sands. The average quartz-feldspar-lithic fragment (QFL) ratios for the CHA and VER sands are Q 75 F 8 L 17 and Q 86 F 4 L 10 , respectively. The X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope equipped with EDAX spectrometer (SEM-EDS) data revealed that the CHA sands were abundant in heavy minerals like magnetite, ilmenite, and zircon. The rare earth element concentration (REE) is higher in CHA than in VER sands, which is due to the concentration of heavy minerals in CHA sands. The weathering indices such as chemical index of alteration (CIA), plagioclase index of alteration, and A–CN–K (A = Al 2 O 3 , CN = CaO ∗ + Na 2 O, K = K 2 O) plot suggested that the intensity of weathering in the source area was low to moderate. The index of chemical variability (ICV) for the CHA (∼1.9–3.0) and VER (∼0.82–1.33) sands indicated that the compositional maturity was higher for the VER sands. The concentrations of Co, Cr, Ni, and V are lower in VER sands than in CHA sands, indicating that the CHA sands were derived from the intermediate source rocks. Provenance modelling revealed that the CHA sands were associated with the mixture of basalt, andesite, dacite, and trachyandesite in the ratio of 5:20:25:50. The VER sands were best matched with a mixture having 75–90% dacite and 25–10% andesite compositions. The provenance difference between the two beach areas suggested that longshore current play a less significant role in mixing and homogenization of sands. The multidimensional tectonic discrimination diagrams revealed rift and collision settings for the VER and CHA beach areas, respectively, which is consistent with the general geology of the study areas.

Combined petrographic and geochemical methods are utilized to investigate the provenance, tectonic setting, palaeo-weathering and climatic conditions of the Cambrian Araba clastic sediments of NE Egypt. The ~ 60 m thick Araba Formation consists predominantly of sandstone and mudstone interbedded with conglomerate. Petrographically the Araba sandstones are mostly sub-mature and classified as subarkoses with an average framework composition of Q80F14L6. The framework components are dominated by monocrystalline quartz with subordinate K-feldspar, together with volcanic and granitic rock fragments. XRD analysis demonstrated that clay minerals comprise mixed-layer illite/smectite (I/S), illite and smectite, with minor kaolinite. Diagenetic features of the sandstone include mechanical infiltration of clay, mechanical and chemical compaction, cementation, dissolution and replacement of feldspars by carbonate cements and clays. The modal composition and geochemical parameters (e.g. Cr/V, Y/Ni, Th/Co and Cr/Th ratios) of the sandstones and mudstones indicate that they were derived from felsic source rocks, probably from the crystalline basement of the northern fringe of the Arabian–Nubian Shield. The study reveals a collisional tectonic setting for the sediments of the Araba Formation. Palaeo-weathering indices such as the chemical index of alteration (CIA), chemical index of weathering (CIW) and plagioclase index of alteration (PIA) of the clastic sediments suggest that the source area was moderately chemically weathered. On the northern margin of Gondwana, early Palaeozoic weathering occurred under fluctuating climatic conditions.

The aim of this work is to constrain the provenance and depositional history of continental slope sediments in the Southwestern Gulf of Mexico (~1089–1785 m water depth). To achieve this, 10 piston sediment cores (~5–5.5 m long) were studied for mineralogy, major, trace and rare earth element geochemistry. Samples were analyzed at three core sections, i.e. upper (0–1 cm), middle (30–31 cm) and lower (~300–391 cm). The textural study reveals that the core sediments are characterized by silt and clay fractions. Radiocarbon dating of sediments for the cores at different levels indicated a maximum of ~28,000 year BP. Sediments were classified as shale. The chemical index of alteration (CIA) values for the upper, middle, and lower sections revealed moderate weathering in the source region. The index of chemical maturity (ICV) and SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 ratio indicated low compositional maturity for the core sediments. A statistically significant correlation observed between total rare earth elements (∑REE) versus Al 2 O 3 and Zr indicated that REE are mainly housed in detrital minerals. The North American Shale Composite (NASC) normalized REE patterns, trace element concentrations such as Cr, Ni and V, and the comparison of REE concentrations in sediments and source rocks indicated that the study area received sediments from rocks intermediate between felsic and mafic composition. The enrichment factor (EF) results indicated that the Cd and Zn contents of the upper section sediments were influenced by an anthropogenic source. The trace element ratios and authigenic U content of the core sediments indicated the existence of an oxic depositional environment.

Provenance and tectonic setting of sandstone and mudstone units of the Miocene Sibuti Formation from northwest Borneo have been studied based on the mineralogy, major and trace element geochemistry data. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS) data revealed that the sandstones and mudstones were abundant in quartz, pyrite, clay, and heavy minerals such as zircon, rutile, and some detrital cassiterite. Geochemically, the sandstones and mudstones are classified into quartz arenite, litharenite, sublitharenite, arkose, and wacke. Quartz arenites are enriched with SiO2, Zr, and Th and depleted in Al2O3, CaO, and other elements compared to other sandstone types, indicating high maturity and intensive weathering. Chemical index of alteration (CIA: 77–90), plagioclase index of alteration (PIA: 86–100), and A-CN-K diagram suggest intense weathering in the source area. Elemental ratios such as La/Sc, Th/Sc, Cr/Th, La/Co, and Th/Co are similar to sediments derived from the felsic rocks. Also, the provenance discrimination diagrams suggest recycled continental nature of these clastic sediments which are mostly derived from metasedimentary source (Rajang Formation). Discriminant-function diagram for the tectonic discrimination of siliciclastic sediments revealed that the sediments of Sibuti Formation were derived from a collision zone, which is consistent with the geology of the study area.

Coastal margins, especially the river-influenced coastal areas, are considered as active interfaces between the continental and oceanic environments, which have huge dispersal of detrital materials and heavy metal input. It is well determined that the fine-grained sediments are important reservoir for the accumulation of heavy metals. In this study, we analyzed the radiocarbon age, texture, organic matter, carbonate content, and geochemical compositions of two sediment cores (GM42 and GM44) retrieved in front of the Coatzacoalcos River mouth basin, southwestern Gulf of Mexico (∼864 and 845 m water depth, respectively). Our objective was to infer the sedimentation rate, intensity of weathering, provenance, and influence of anthropogenic activities on heavy metal contamination in sediments. The radiocarbon-age measurements of mixed planktonic foraminifera for core GM44 reveals an age of 21,289 ± 136 cal. years B.P., which fall within the Late Glacial Maximum (LGM; 21000 ± 2000 years B.P). The calculated sedimentation rate for core GM42 (~0.013 cm/year) is lower than in core GM44 (0.022 cm/year), which is probably due to the variations in detrital sediment input and/or seafloor topography. The weathering indices such as chemical index of alteration (CIA), chemical index of weathering (CIW), and plagioclase index of alteration (PIA) suggested that the source area experienced low to moderate intensity of chemical weathering under warm to humid climatic conditions. The SiO2/Al2O3, Al2O3/Na2O, and K2O/Al2O3 ratio values indicated moderate to high compositional maturity. The major and trace element concentrations suggested that the sediments were likely derived from intermediate source rocks. The heavy metal contents indicated that the sediments were not contaminated by the industrial waste disposals supplied by the Coatzacoalcos River. The redox proxy sensitive elements such as V, Cr, Cu, and Zn indicated an oxic depositional environment for the deep-sea sediment cores. The application of discrimination diagrams for the geochemistry data revealed a passive margin setting for the sediment cores. The compositional variations observed at the upper sections (

Detrital sand grains from three beaches (Tecolutla, Nautla, and Veracruz) along the western Gulf of Mexico were studied by a scanning electron microscope, to investigate the depositional environment and paleoclimate. Totally, 24 microtextures are identified; among them, 13 are grouped as mechanical origin, 5 as mechanical and/or chemical origin, and 6 as chemical origin. These microtextures are nonuniformly distributed among the three beach areas. Concoidal fractures, straight and arcuate steps at Tecolutla and Veracruz beaches indicate that the sand grains were derived from the crystalline rocks. The abundance of angular outline grains at the Nautla beach supports for short transportation probably close to the source area. The domination of rounded sand grains in the Veracruz beach reveals that the sediments were derived by the aeolian mechanism. Chattermark trials at the Veracruz beach sands are indicating a wet tropical climate. Chemical features like silica globules, silica pellicle, and trapped diatoms in the Tecolutla and Veracruz beach sands suggest a silica saturated environment. Similarly, chemical etching and solution pits are common in the Veracruz beach sands, which are probably linked to the contaminated sea water. Desiccation crack at Veracruz beach sands is an indicator of temperature changes in the beach environment. Broken benthonic foraminifera Elphidium discoidale sp. present in the Veracruz beach indicates a high-energy littoral environment.

This study focuses on the Jurassic (Huayacocotla and Pimienta Formations) and Upper Cretaceous (Mendez Formation) shales from the Molango Region, Hidalgo, Mexico. In this article, we discuss the mineralogy, major, and trace element geochemistry of the Mesozoic shales of Mexico. The goal of this study is to constrain the provenance of the shales, which belong to two different periods of the Mesozoic Era and to understand the weathering conditions and tectonic environments of the source region.

This paper contributes to understanding the intractable problems in provenance study due to hydraulic sorting and geochemical heterogeneity in medium, fine, and very fine sands. For this purpose, detrital modes, major, trace, and rare earth element (REE) compositions of recent sands from the Playa Azul, Tecolutla, and Nautla beach areas of the western Gulf of Mexico have been investigated. Marked geochemical and petrographic differences occur among the three beach sands, even though they are separated just by 45 km. The average quartz-feldspar-lithic fragment (QtFL) ratios for the Playa Azul, Tecolutla, and Nautla sands are respectively Qt69–F10–L21, Qt57–F11–L32, and Qt37–F5–L58. The volcanic lithic fragment (Lv) − sedimentary lithic fragment (Ls) − [plutonic lithic (Lp) + metamorphic lithic fragments (Lm)] ternary diagram indicates that the Nautla sands are dominated by volcanic detritus, while the Tecolutla sands are dominated by sedimentary and volcanic detritus. The Playa Azul sands are dominated largely by sedimentary detritus. Geochemically, the three beach sands are quite distinctive from each other. The Playa Azul sands are higher in SiO2 content (∼64–84 wt.%) than in the Tecolutla sands (SiO2 = ∼47–69 wt.%). The Nautla sands are very low in SiO2 content ( In the three beach sands studied, the decrease in grain size is accompanied by a gradual decrease in SiO2 content and an increase in TiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, MgO, Zr, Hf, Cr, and V contents. Similarly, the ∑REE content increases with decreasing grain size. However, very fine sands in the Playa Azul and Nautla beaches are different in ∑REE content. This observation suggests that the provenance is more important in controlling the geochemical composition of beach sands than the grain size. The zirconium concentration in beach sands, however, is not related to the grain size. The comparison of REE patterns of beach sands with those of source rocks located relatively close to the study areas suggests that the Playa Azul sands were derived from felsic rocks, whereas a mixed provenance with contributions from felsic and intermediate rocks is more likely for the Tecolutla sands. In contrast, the REE distribution patterns of Nautla sands resemble those derived from basalt and basaltic andesite. However, selective concentration of magnetite grains in beach sands increases the LREE content and fractionates Eu resulting in a europium anomaly that is more negative than that displayed by Nautla sands. All of the above observations suggest that rivers delivering sands to the beaches are the important factors in controlling the composition of beach sands and that longshore currents play a less significant role.

Petrography and geochemistry (major, trace and rare earth elements) of clastic rocks from the Lower Cambrian Lalun Formation, in the Posht-e-badam block, Central Iran, have been investigated to understand their provenance. Petrographical analysis suggests that the Lalun conglomerates are dominantly with chert clasts derived from a proximal source, probably chert bearing Precambrian Formations. Similarly, purple sandstones are classified as litharenite (chertarenite) and white sandstones as quartzarenite types. The detrital modes of purple and white sandstones indicate that they were derived from recycled orogen (uplifted shoulders of rift) and stable cratonic source. Most major and trace element contents of purple sandstones are generally similar to upper continental crust (UCC) values. However, white sandstones are depleted in major and trace elements (except SiO2, Zr and Co) relative to UCC, which is mainly due to the presence of quartz and absence of other Al-bearing minerals. Shale samples have considerably lower content in most of the major and trace elements concentration than purple sandstones, which is possibly due to intense weathering and recycling. Modal composition (e.g., quartz, feldspar, lithic fragments) and geochemical indices (Th/Sc, La/Sc, Co/Th, Cr/Th, Cr/V and V/Ni ratios) of sandstones, and shales (La/Sc and La/Cr ratios) indicate that they were derived from felsic source rocks and deposited in a passive continental margin. The chondrite-normalized rare earth element (REE) patterns of the studied samples are characterized by LREE enrichment, negative Eu anomaly and flat HREE similar to an old upper continental crust composed chiefly of felsic components in the source area. The study of paleoweathering conditions based on modal composition, chemical index of alteration (CIA), plagioclase index of alteration (PIA) and A–CN–K (Al2O3 − CaO + Na2O − K2O) relationships indicate that probably chemical weathering in the source area and recycling processes have been more important in shale and white sandstones relative to purple sandstones. The results of this study suggest that the main source for the Lalun Formation was likely located in uplifted shoulders of a rifted basin (probably a pull-apart basin) in its post-rift stage (Pan-African basement of the Posht-e-badam block).

The elemental content ( major, trace and rare earth elements) of 35 Aptian–Albian limestone samples from the Mural Formation has been determined to provide information on depositional conditions and provenance. The limestones of the Mural Formation show large variations in terrigenous and carbonate contents (1.2 to 42.3% and 57.7 to 98.8% respectively). Small variations are observed in CaO concentrations in the Tuape Shale, Cerro La Puerta and Mesa Quemada members whereas large variations are found in the Cerro La Ceja, Los Coyotes and Cerro La Espina members. The majority of the limestones show high values of Th, Sc and Zr. Large variations in ΣREE content are observed among different members of the Mural Formation. Most limestones from the Mural Formation record non-seawater-like REE+Y signatures. The limestones show large variations in Ce anomalies which may be due to mixing of sediment components (biogenic and authigenic phases) and detrital materials including Fe-colloids from fluvial input. Most of the limestones show positive Eu anomalies, but some samples show negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu ∗ : 0.42 to 2.62). The large variations in terrigenous percentage, high Al 2 O 3 and ΣREE contents, high La N /Yb N ratios, low Y/Ho ratios and non-seawater-like REE patterns suggest that the observed variations in ΣREE contents are mainly controlled by the amount of detrital sediments in the limestones of the Mural Formation. The limestones of the Mural Formation were deposited under both coastal and open shelf environments, and they exhibit non-seawater-like REE + Y patterns. The presence of terrigenous materials in these carbonates as contaminants effectively masks the seawater signature due to their high concentration of the REE. Thus, trying to decipher the palaeoceanographic conditions represented by ancient carbonate rocks should be done cautiously since limestones deposited under open marine environments may also be contaminated by some amount of terrigenous particles. The presence of small quantities of terrigenous materials in the limestones can also reveal source rock information. The La/Sc, La/Co, Th/Sc, Th/Cr, Th/Co and Cr/Th ratios suggest that the terrigenous materials present in the limestones were mainly derived from a nearby exposed basement of intermediate to felsic igneous rocks.

The weathering conditions, provenance, and tectonic setting of sands from the San Nicolás (SN) and San Carlos (SC) beaches along the Gulf of California, Mexico, have been studied using mineralogy, major element, and trace element data. The compositional similarity among 4 independent groups (each beach area consists of 2 grain-size groups, i.e. medium- and fine-grained sands) was tested statistically by the application of analysis of variance at the 99% confidence level to avoid misinterpretation. The X-ray diffraction and SEM-EDS data revealed that the fine-grained SN sands were abundant in rutile and zircon minerals. The higher SiO2/Al2O3 ratio of the SN sands than the medium- and fine-grained SC sands indicated that the compositional maturity was greatest for the SN sands (Fcalc = 366.756151 and (Fcrit)99% = 5.065158, where Fcalc > (Fcrit)99% indicates that the data populations are significantly different at 99% confidence level). The chemical index of alteration values for the SN (ca. 41-45) and SC (ca. 48-51) sands indicated low to moderate weathering intensity in the source region. The significant enrichment of the low rare earth element and the flat heavy rare earth element patterns of the SN sands indicated that the sources were largely felsic rocks. The low positive Eu anomaly in the SC sands was probably due to the contribution of sediments from intermediate rocks between felsic and mafic compositions. The comparison of rare earth element data of the sands with rocks located relatively close to the study areas revealed that the SN sands received a major contribution from felsic rocks and SC sands from intermediate rocks. The compositional difference between the SN and SC beach areas indicated that longshore currents played a less significant role. Discriminant function-based major element diagrams for the tectonic discrimination of siliciclastic sediments revealed a rift setting for the Gulf of California, which is consistent with the general geology of Mexico.

Quartz grains from the Kallamedu (late Maastrichtian) and lower Niniyur (Danian) Formations, Cauvery Basin, Southeast India were examined under a scanning electron microscope, and twenty three distinct microtextures were observed. These microtextures have been grouped into three modes of origin, viz. mechanical (thirteen features), mechanical and/or chemical (five features) and chemical (five features) origins. Quartz grains from the Kallamedu and lower Niniyur Formations show conchoidal fractures, straight steps and arcuate steps which are the characteristic microtextures of quartz grains derived from crystalline source rocks. Quartz grains from the upper Kallamedu and lower Niniyur Formations show angular to subangular outline, whereas those from the lower Kallamedu Formation show subangular to rounded outline. The dominance of angular to subangular grains and the presence of straight and arcuate steps suggest that these clastic sediments were undergone short transportation and rapid deposition. The presence of rounded grains in the lower part of the Kallamedu Formation suggests that significant amounts of quartz grains are of recycled origin. Vs, straight scratches and curved scratches, the characteristic features of marine environment, are common on the quartz grains from the lower Niniyur Formation, which is consistent with the previous interpretation. However, quartz grains from the lower Kallamedu Formation exhibit very low frequency of these features, whereas they are moderately present in the upper Kallamedu Formation, suggestive of a change in depositional conditions with time. The lower Kallamedu Formation exhibits planar and trough cross-beddings, which suggests the fluvial depositional environment. The unfossiliferous upper Kallamedu Formation contains appreciable amount of illite and mixed-layer (illite/smectite) clay minerals, which suggests that the saline conditions prevailed during its deposition. Microtextures on the quartz grains coupled with dominant clay mineral types suggest the deltaic depositional environments for the upper Kallamedu Formation.

Major, trace and rare earth elements (REE) composition of sandstones from the Upper Cretaceous Sillakkudi Formation, Ariyalur Group, Cauvery Basin were studied to decipher their weathering and provenance history. Texturally, these sandstones are immature, poorly sorted and grain supported. Abundance of feldspars especially, plagioclase indicates rapid deposition of sediments from a nearby source rocks. Using the geochemical classification diagram the Sillakkudi sandstones are classified as fe-sand, quartz arenite, litharenite, sub-litharenite, sub-arkose, arkose, and wacke types, which is also supported by the petrography study. The transition trace elements like Co, Ni, and V are higher in the Sillakkudi sandstones than upper continental crust (UCC) values. However, the Sillakkudi sandstones are lower in Cr (mean ∼21) content than average UCC value (∼ 35). The poor correlation between Cr and Ni (r = 0.08, number of samples n = 20) imply that these sandstones were derived from felsic source rocks. Similarly, the Eu/Eu* (0.35–1.73), La/Sc (1.93–9.36), Th/Sc (0.41–6.57), Th/Co (0.14–5.01), Th/Cr (0.23–2.94), and Cr/Th (0.34–4.28) ratios support a felsic source for the Sillakkudi sandstones. The significant enrichment of Zr, Hf, and Th in fe-sand, sub-arkose and litharenite could be related to the presence of heavy minerals, especially zircon. However, the zircon geochemistry did not affect the REE distribution and its patterns in the Sillakkudi sandstones. The Chondrite normalized REE patterns of Sillakkudi sandstones are characterized by relatively flat HREE (Gd/YbCN = ∼ 0.73–2.41; subscript CN refers to chondrite normalized value), enriched LREE (La/SmCN = ∼ 3.39–5.82) and negative Eu anomaly (mean value Eu/Eu* = 0.80). The Gd/YbCN ratios (∼0.73–2.50) are less than 2.5, which suggest that these Sillakkudi sandstones were derived from the less HREE depleted source rocks. The comparison of REE patterns and its Eu anomalies to the source rocks reveals that the Sillakkudi sandstones received a major contribution of sediments from Dharwar craton.

International audience; The Rabanpalli Formation exhibits two types of shales, viz. grey and calcareous shales. These shales (grey and calcareous) have been analysed for major, trace, and rare earth elements to fi nd out their source rocks characteristics and paleo-oxygenation conditions. The grey shales have higher concentration of SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, K2O, Zr, Th, U, V, Cr, La, Ce, and Y than calcareous shales, whereas calcareous shales are enriched in CaO, Mn, Sr, Ba, Cu, and Zn, which indicate that the carbonate phase minerals are higher in calcareous shales. The positive correlation of K2O with other elements, and abundance of Al2O3, Ba, Th, and Rb suggest that these elements are primarily controlled by the dominant clay minerals. La/Sc, Th/Sc, Th/Co, Th/Cr, and Cr/Th ratios of shales were compared with those of sediments derived from felsic and basic rocks (fi ne fraction), upper continental crust (UCC) and post-Archean Australian average shale (PAAS) ratios, which reveal that these ratios are within the range of felsic rocks. The La/Sc vs. Th/Co plot also suggests the felsic nature of the source rocks. The shales show slightly light rare earthelement (LREE) enriched and fl at heavy rare earth element (HREE) patterns with negative Eu anomaly, and are similar to the granitoids from Dharwar Craton, which suggest that the Archean Dharwar Craton contributed the sediments to the Bhima basin. The geochemical parameters such as U, authigenic U, U/Th, V/Cr, Ni/Co, and Cu/Zn ratios indicate that these shales were deposited under oxic environment.