『Abstract
The mineralogy and chemical compositions of shale and sandstone
alterations of Cretaceous age of the Monte Soro Unit, Sicily,
have been determined. The clay minerals in the shales are mostly
illite and I-rich mixed-layer I/S reflected by enrichment in Al2O3, K2O,
and chemically similar elements. The sandstones are subarkose
to quartz arenite. The shales and sandstones have upper-crustal
rare earth element patterns, and except for K2O,
they are depleted in alkaline and alkaline-earth elements as a
result of intense weathering.The sandstone and shale mineralogy
suggests a diagenetic history in which the sediments were subjected
to temperatures in excess of 100℃, during which interaction between
some minerals in the shales and sandstones took place. Thus, diagenetic
quartz cementation and feldspar alteration in the sandstones and
smectite illitization in the shales occurred together with the
shales being a sink for potassium and the sandstones a sink for
silicon. Negative europium anomalies (Eu/Eu* between
0.45 and 0.87), (Gd/Yb)ch ratios (<2,
except for sample Cl), and Sc/Cr versus La/Y and La-Th Sc diagrams
suggest that the sedimentary rocks were derived from post-Archean
granitoid-like rocks in a tectonically stable area. In addition,
the foliated fabrics of polycrystalline quartz grains and the
abundant phyllite rock fragments indicate a provenance from metamorphic
rocks. The study of several trace element ratios (Ti/Zr, Cr/Zr,
Y/Ni, Cr/V, Zr/Th, La/Th, \la/Th, Cr/Th, Zr/Hf/ Zr/Yb, Yb/Hf,
V/La, La/Yb) strongly supports a local derivation from the European
paleomargin.』
Introduction
Geological framework
Analytical methods
Results
Shale mineralogy
Shale geochemistry
Discussion
Sedimentary processes: Weathering and hydraulic sorting
Sedimentary processes: Diagenesis
Sandstone eodiagenesis
Shale mesodiagenesis
Sandstone mesodiagenesis
Telodiagenesis
Provenance
Conclusions
Acknowledgments
References cited