Clay mineralogy of the Paleozoic-Lower Mesozoic sedimentary sequence from the northern part of the Arabian Platform, Hazro (Diyarbakir, Southeast Anatolia)

Abstract

The Paleozoic-Lower Mesozoic units in the Diyarbakir-Hazro region consist of sandstone (subarkose, quartz arenite), mudstone, shale, coal, marl, dolomitic marl, limestone (biomicrite, lithobiosparite, biosparite with lithoclast, dololithobiosparite, dolomitic cherty sparite) and dolomite (dolosparite, dolosparite with lithoclast, biodolosparite with glauconite). These units exhibit no slaty cleavage although they are oriented parallel to bedding planes. The sedimentary rocks contain mainly calcite, dolomite, quartz, feldspar, goethite and phyllosilicates (kaolinite, illite-smectite (I-S), illite and glauconite) associated with small amounts of gypsum, jarosite, hematite and gibbsite. The amounts of quartz and feldspar in the Silurian-Devonian units and of dolomite in the Permian-Triassic units increase. Kaolinite is more commonly observed in the Silurian-Devonian and Permian units, whereas illite and 1-S are found mostly in the Middle Devonian and Triassic units. Vertical distributions of clay minerals depend on lithological differences rather than diagenetic/metamorphic grade. Authigenetic kaolinites as pseudo-hexagonal bouquets and glauconite and I-S as fine-grained flakes or filaments are more abundantly present in the levels of elastic and carbonate rocks. Illite quantities in R3 and RI 1-S vary between 80 and 95 %. 2M(1)+1M(d) illites/1-S are characterized by moderate h cell values (9.005-9.040, mean 9.020 angstrom), whereas glauconites have higher values in the range of 9.054-9.072, mean 9.066 angstrom. KI values of illites (0.72-1.56, mean 1.03 Delta 2 theta degrees) show no an important vertical difference. Inorganic (mineral assemblages, KI, polytype) and organic maturation (vitrinite reflection) parameters in the Paleozoic-Triassic units agree with each others in majority that show high-grade diagenesis and catagenesis (light petroleum-wet gas hydrocarbon zone), respectively. The Paleozoic-Triassic sequence in this region was deposited in the environment of a passive continental margin and entirely resembles the Eastern Taurus Para-Autochthon Unit (Geyikdagi Unit) in respect of lithology and diagenetic grade.