Mineralogy and geochemistry of the Late Triassic Baluti Formation, Northern Iraq

Abstract

The petrography and geochemistry of clastic rocks collected from two sections from the Baluti Formation northern Iraq, have been investigated to infer the depositional environment of the Late Triassic Baluti Formation. Petrographic study of the carbonate unit shows that they consist mainly of heterogeneous poorly sorted grainstones and packstones, ooids, intraclasts, peloids, bioclasts and green algae (Halimeda). The abundant and heterogeneous size of these constituents suggests a subtidal lagoon/oolitic shoal depositional environment with an open marine water circulation. Trace element concentrations of the shales and marlstones reveal a wide difference in the depositional environment. The paleoclimate proxies (C-value, Sr/Cu, Rb/Sr, Ga/Rb, and Sr/Ba ratios) and presence of illite suggest a hot and arid to semiarid climates during the deposition of the Buluti sediments, which coincide with the Late Triassic global warming. The combined use of the Cd/Mo and Co*Mn proxies indicate the deposition mainly in open marine settings on the continental margin associated with upwelling and subordinate restricted marine settings. Trace element redox proxies (V/(V + Ni), Th/U, V/Cr, Ni/Co, and V/Ni ratios indicates anoxic to dysoxic to marginally oxic marine conditions. This difference in paleoredox conditions is likely to arise from the variation in the hydrographic conditions of the depositional basin including water depth, upwelling oxidation degree in the water column and salinity.