『Abstract
Understanding heavy mineral preservation is important for interpreting
generation, pathways, provenance and geochemistry of sediments.
Despite this, many assumptions about heavy mineral stability are
based on ancient strata and few studies consider modern sediments,
particularly those in tectonically active tropical areas such
as SE Asia. We report new heavy mineral data on 69 river sand
samples from the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra, in which one aim
was to find provenance indicators specific to these areas. Identifications
were performed using optical microscopy and confirmed with SEM-EDS.
In the Malay Peninsula heavy minerals record granitic and contact
metamorphic provenance. Variable amounts of zircon, tourmaline,
hornblende, andalusite, epidote, monazite, rutile and titanite,
and minor amounts of pyroxene, apatite, anatase, garnet, diaspore,
colourless spinel, cassiterite and allanite are typical of this
source area. The composition of assemblages from Sumatra indicates
contributions from two major sources: the modern volcanic arc
(I) and the basement (II). Abundant pyroxene, particularly hypersthene
(up to 70%), is diagnostic of the volcanic arc source. Vesuvianite,
garnet, andalusite, tourmaline, chrome spinel, rutile, anatase
and corundum, are present only in small amounts (<3%), and
are interpreted as recycled from the basement. Zircon, apatite,
hornblende, epidote, and olivine are also common in Sumatra and
are likely to have a mixed provenance. Abundance of ferromagnesian
silicate minerals suggests mild weathering, possibly reflecting
several processes: dilution of natural etching fluids by heavy
rainfall, high erosion rates, rapid transport and short grain
residence time in the river. The heavy mineral assemblages of
modern rivers are very different from those recorded by the few
previous studies of Cenozoic sediments of the Malay Peninsula
and Sumatra. Assemblages in the Cenozoic basins are significantly
more mature than those of modern rivers. The differences cannot
be explained simply by dissolution of susceptible minerals during
one sedimentary cycle and instead imply rapid source area unroofing.
Keywords: Heavy minerals; Detrital; Provenance; Weathering; SE
Asia』
1. Introduction
2. Heavy mineral stability revisited
3. Geological background
4. Present day topography and drainage
5. Samples and methods
5.1. Samples
5.2. Heavy mineral analysis
5.3. Zircon typological studies
5.4. Point counting
5.5. Detrital garnet microprobe analyses
6. Results
6.1. Heavy minerals
6.1.1. The Malay Peninsula
6.1.2. Sumatra
6.2. Zircon types
6.3. Detrital garnet microprobe analyses
7. Discussion
7.1. Provenance
7.1.1. The Malay Peninsula
7.1.2. Sumatra
7.2. Heavy mineral dissolution during transport
7.3. Implications for sediment provenance in the North Sumatra
Basin
8. Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References