Chemostratigraphy of predominantly siliciclastic Neoproterozoic successions: a case study of the Pocatello Formation and Lower Brigham Group, Idaho, USA

Abstract

Isotopic chemostratigraphy has proven successful in the correlation of carbonate-rich Neoproterozoic successions. In successions dominated by siliciclastic rocks, chemostratigraphy can be problematic, but if thin carbonates punctuate siliciclastic strata, useful isotopic data may be obtained. The upper Pocatello Formation and lower Brigham Group of southeastern Idaho provide an opportunity to assess the potential and limitations of isotopic chemostratigraphy in overwhelmingly siliciclastic successions. The 5000 m thick succession consists predominantly of siliciclastic lithologies, with only three intervals that contain thin intercalated carbonates. Its depositional age is only broadly constrained by existing biostratigraphic, sequence stratigraphic and geochronometric data. The lowermost carbonates include a cap dolomite atop diamictites and volcanic rocks of the Pocatello Formation. The delta 13C values of these carbonates are distintly negative (-5 to -3), similar to carbonates that overlie Neoproterozoic glaciogenic rocks worldwide. Stratigraphically higher carbonates record a major positive delta 13C excursion to values as high as +8.8 within the carbonate member of the Caddy Canyon Quartzite. The magnitude of this excusion is consistent with post-Sturtian secular variation recorded elsewhere in the North American Cordillera, Australia, Svalbard, Brazil and Nambia, and exceeds the magnitude of any post-Varanger delta 13C excursion documented to date. In most samples, Sr-isotopic abundances have been altered by diagenesis and greenschist facies metamorphism, but a least-altered value of approximately 0.7076 supports a post-Sturtian and pre-Marinoan/Varanger age for upper Pocatello and lower Brigham rocks that lie above the Pocatello diamictite. Thus, even though available chemostratigraphic data are limited, they corroborate correlations of Pocatello Formation diamictites and overlying units with Sturtian glaciogenic rocks and immediately post-Sturtian successions in western North America and elsewhere.