The study of the geochemical characterization of sandstone rocks contributes to understand the nature of the source rocks, their tectonic setting and the effects of paleoclimate and paleo-weathering. Accordingly, twenty sandstone samples from the red sandstone units of the Gercus Formation were collected from the northeastern limb of Safin Anticline at Shaqlawa Area – Northern Iraq. The studied sandstone samples show depletion in major, trace elements contents, except for CaO, MgO and Ni, Co and Cr respectively, and general depletion in the rare earth elements (REE) contents. Major element geochemistry indicates that the red bed sandstones of the Gercus Formation are of an oceanic island arc (OIA) tectonic setting. On the other hand, the results revealed that the paleo-weathering of the source area of the Gercus Formation experienced intensive chemical weathering under humid and/or warm climate conditions. The maturity and paleoclimate conclusions of the studied samples suggest a low feldspar content and low values of K2O / Al2O3 ratio, which in turn resulted from the dominance of low grade metamorphic and sedimentary rock types in the source area.
The Pila Spi Formation (middle – late Eocene) was studied in terms of field character, Petrography and geochemistry from two outcrops (Bakhar and Bani bawy) sections, Northern Iraq. The field studies showing massive, lithified limestone to marly limestone high effected by dolomitization. The petrography studies shows that most of the skeletal grains was destroyed due to digenetic processes specifically the dolomitization, and the vast majority of carbonate rocks are mudstone and few beds of wackestone. The geochemical study reveals low CaO% and high MgO% content due to the intense effect of dolomitization, and the carbonate rocks was classified as impure limestone generally of slightly calcareous dolomite. Ca/Mg and Sr/Ca ratios have b
... Show MoreThe present study deals with the petrographic investigations revealed that the sandstone of Gercus Formation the studied samples of sandstone units composed primarily of rock fragments (sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic), quartz grains (monocrystalline and polycrystalline), and feldspars (orthoclase, microcline and plagioclase). These components are cemented by carbonate and iron oxides. The studied sandstones are classified as litharenites, Sandstone rocks of Gercus Formation are chemically and mechanically unstable due to the high percentage of rock fragments ,such a grain assemblage infers that the source of the rock fragments is nearby. The petrographic analyses indicate that the studied sandstones are immature mineralogically b
... Show MoreA surface section of the Gercus Formation (Middle-Late Eocene) was studied in Berafat area, Dohuk Governorate, Northern Iraq. The Gercus Formation consists of a mixed siliciclastic sediments, evaporates and carbonate sequences in the studied region, predominantly in the upper and middle parts. Nevertheless, it usually consists of upward-fining carbonate-rich sandstone cyclothems, marl, conglomerate and siltstone along with a gypsum lens and thin micrite carbonate beds. The Gercus Formation was deposited in delta and delta front of occasionally depositional environment which is represented by red-brown claystone and reddish-brown mudstone lithofacies. Cross bedded pebbly sandstone, trough cross-bedded sandstone and lamin
... Show MoreA total of 23 samples are collected from Injana and Mukdadiya Formations representing: sandstone (14 samples from Injana Formation and 9 samples from Mukdadiya Formation). 19 sandstone samples are thin sectioned for petrographic study (10 thin sections from Injana and 9 thin sections from Mukdadiya) and 23 sandstone samples are selected for heavy minerals study (14 samples from Injana and 9 samples from Mukdadiya). The petrographic investigations revealed that the sandstone of Injana and Mukdadiya Formations are composed primarily of rock fragments (sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic), quartz (monocrystalline and polycrystalline) and feldspars (orthoclase, microcline and plagioclase). The matrix is subordinate and the cement is mostly
... Show MoreThe mineralogical study using X-ray diffraction (XRD) supported by scanning electron microscopic (SEM) examination and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) on the claystone of the Kolosh Formation from northern Iraq was conducted to Shows the provenance history of rocks. Chlorite, montmorillonite, illite, palygorskite, and kaolinite were recorded in different amounts in the study area. The association of montmorillonite and chlorite in the claystone of the Kolosh Formation (Paleocene) refers to the marine environment. Chlorite and montmorillonite are the common minerals in the Kolosh Formation with less common of illite, kaolinite and palygorskite. These clay minerals are of authigenic, detrital and diagenetically origin, which
... Show MoreThis study appears GIS techniqueand remote sensing data are matching with the field observation to identify the structural features such as fault segments in the urban area such as the Merawa and Shaqlawa Cities. The use of different types of data such as fault systems, drainage patterns (previously mapped), lineament, and lithological contacts with spatial resolution of 30m was combined through a process of integration and index overlay modeling technique for producing the susceptibility map of fault segments in the study area. GIS spatial overlay technique was used to determine the spatial relationships of all the criteria (factors) and subcriteria (classes) within layers (maps) to classify and map the potential ar
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