Petrological features of a Numidian section in the Lucanian Apennine (southern Italy)

Abstract

A continuous section of Numidian sandstones cropping out along the eastern margin of the Lucanian Apennine (southern Italy) has been studied in relation to its petrographic and geochemical aspects. Owing to their simple mineralogy, both chemical and petrographic classifications indicate that the sandstones are subarkoses. They are characterized by high mineralogical maturity, poor sorting, abundant siliciclastic matrix and subangular quartz grains. The principal composition is Q80–94 F6–20 L0–1 corresponding to SiO2/Al2O3 and Fe2O3/K2O ratios ranging from 37·216 to 17·124 and from 1·182 to 0·514 respectively. Two quartz grain types were distinguished: deformed and undeformed quartz grains, the former generally subangular in shape and the latter rounded. Two distinct origins of detritus can be suggested; (i) the undeformed and rounded quartz grains derive from arenaceous continental sequences; (ii) the siliciclastic matrix, the deformed subangular quartz grains, the heavy minerals and the large crystals of K-feldspar probably derive from a crystalline basement formed by low–medium–high grade metamorphic rocks and granitoids. The Numidian subarkoses represent the mixing of these two components. Both kinds of detritus can be referred to the African Craton where crystalline basement is extensively overlain by Palaeozoic and Mesozoic sandstones. The different proportions of the two components in the mixture account for the variability of the sandstone composition and might explain the mixed Numidian successions cropping out in various sectors of the Mediterranean area. Copyright © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.