Abstract

The clay minerals in the Cretaceous carbonate rocks of southern Florida, 7,000 to 10,000 ft thick, should be of value in interpreting the tectonic history of the Caribbean region. The Upper Cretaceous is characterized by montmorillonite and the Lower Cretaceous by illite. The lowermost Cretaceous rocks contain a well-crystallized 2M (two-layer monoclinic) illite; the illite becomes progressively less well crystallized upward. The rocks at the base of the Upper Cretaceous contain an abundance of kaolinite, which is presumably related to an unconformity between the Upper and Lower Cretaceous. Kaolinite is locally abundant in the Collier well and appears to be related to structural highs. Chlorite, brucite, and attapulgite are also present and locally abundant. The clay mineral distribution is largely related to changes in the source area and should provide information for interpreting the tectonic history of the Caribbean.

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