Sedimentological and Geochemical Analysis of the Eocene Tallahatta Formation in Northern Mississippi, USA

Abstract

The Eocene Tallahatta Formation forms part of the Tallahatta-Winona aquifer, which is part of the lower Claiborne confining unit of the Mississippi Embayment. A thorough understanding of the distribution of natural resources within the Tallahatta is limited by a lack of detailed studies at the outcrop and pore scales. In this study, we integrate particle size, petrographic, lithofacies, and geochemical analyses to interpret depositional environments, sequence stratigraphy, provenance, and diagenetic history from outcrops in Grenada County, Mississippi. Lithofacies include unprotected sand flat, tidal channel, open tidal mudflat, protected tidal flat, lower and middle shoreface, offshore transition, and offshore shelf settings. Lithofacies associations indicate that the Tallahatta consists of at least two parasequences within a falling stage systems tract (FSST). This is the first report on FSST strata from the Tallahatta Formation. Petrographic and geochemical results show that sediments were sourced from Precambrian Laurentian basement, recycled Appalachian basin sediment, and the Appalachian hinterland. Upsection changes in geochemistry represent an increase in contributions from recycled Appalachian basin sediment and progressive weathering of Acadian orogeny elements. Geochemistry also suggests that potentially economically important Ti-rich minerals are concentrated in tidal flat facies and scarce in shoreface facies. Primary porosity and bioturbation exert the greatest influence on the high porosity within many lithofacies. Early diagenesis also included detrital clay coating of framework grains, deposition of fecal pellets, minor chemical weathering, and hematite precipitation. Fecal pellets were altered to glauconite and opal cement was precipitated shortly after deposition or during early burial. Shrinkage of fecal pellets during glauconitization introduced minor moldic porosity. Limited burial produced minor physical compaction and only slightly reduced porosity. Abundant hematite precipitation during exhumation greatly decreased porosity locally.