Areal Variations of Calcium Carbonate and Heavy Minerals in Barataria Bay Sediments, Louisiana

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper is a report on a continuation study of the sediments of Barataria Bay. Former studies made of these Mississippi delta sediments included sediment size and organic carbon content. The present paper includes the calcium carbonate content and heavy mineral content. The analytical data are used to prepare maps of areal distribution of acid solubles and heavy minerals. The data are compared to show parallels existing between the areal distribution of calcium carbonate and heavy minerals. The heavy minerals, when separated from the sand fractions of the samples, show a distribution pattern in which high heavy mineral content parallels low calcium carbonate content. A comparison with earlier published data shows that high calcium carbonate is associated with fine sediments and high organic carbon, whereas high heavy mineral values are associated with coarser sediments and low organic carbon. The outstanding feature of the study is that the environmental patterns disclosed by heavy minerals and acid solubles agree well with the pattern, shown by size, sorting, and organic carbon.