Glauconite Sand from the Terrace of the Patagonian Continental Slope, Southwestern Atlantic

Abstract

This brief communication describes the first finding of glauconite sand alternating with calcareous foraminiferal–coccolithic ooze on the Piedra Buena contourite terrace of the Patagonian continental slope at a depth of 2327 m. It is suggested that the fine-sand glauconite grains were supplied from the shelf during glaciations, rewashed and sorted by alongslope (contour) currents of the Circumpolar Antarctic waters with the formation of sandy glauconite contourites.