Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T09:05:25.079Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Volcanogenic clays in Jurassic and Cretaceous strata of England and the North Sea Basin

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2018

C. V. Jeans ,
D. S. Wray ,
R. J. Merriman  and
M. J. Fisher
C. V. Jeans*
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EQ
D. S. Wray
Affiliation:
School of Earth Sciences, University of Greenwich, Pembroke, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4AW
R. J. Merriman
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottinghamshire NG12 5GG
M. J. Fisher
Affiliation:
Nevis Associates Ltd., Helensburgh, Argyll & Bute G84 8DD, UK
*
*E-mail: SJL11@esc.cam.ac.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The nature and origin of authigenic clay minerals and silicate cements in the Jurassic and Cretaceous sediments of England and the North Sea are discussed in relation to penecontemporaneous volcanism in and around the North Sea Basin. Evidence, including new REE data, suggests that the authigenic clay minerals represent the argillization of volcanic ash under varying diagenetic conditions, and that volcanic ash is a likely source for at least the early silicate cements in many sandstones. The nature and origin of smectite-rich, glauconite-rich, berthierine-rich and kaolin-rich volcanogenic clay mineral deposits are discussed. Two patterns of volcanogenic clay minerals facies are described. Pattern A is related to ash argillization in the non-marine and marine environments. Pattern B is developed by the argillization of ash concentrated in the sand and silt facies belts in the seas bordering ash-covered islands and massifs. It is associated with regression/ transgression cycles which may be related to thermal doming and associated volcanism, including the submarine release of hydrothermal fluids rich in Fe. The apparent paucity of volcanogenic clay deposits in the Jurasssic and Early Cretaceous sediments of the North Sea is discussed.

Keywords

volcanogenic claysJurassicCretaceousargillizationNorth Sea
Type
Research Article
Information
Clay Minerals , Volume 35 , Issue 1 , March 2000 , pp. 25 - 55
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2000

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barrett, T.J. (1992) Mass changes in the Galapagos hydrothermal mounds: Near-axis sediment transformation and mineralization. Geology, 20, 20–1075.2.3.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berry, R.W. (1999) Eocene and Oligocène Otay-type waxy bentonites of San Diego County and Baja California. Chemistry, mineralogy, petrology and plate tectonic implications. Clays Clay Miner. 47, 47–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bignell, R.D. (1978) Genesis of the Red Sea metalliferous sediments. Marine Miner. 1, 1–209.Google Scholar
Bjørlykke, K. (1998) Clay mineral diagenesis in sedimentary basins - a key to the prediction of rock properties. Examples from the North Sea Basin. Clay Miner. 33, 33–15.Google Scholar
Bjørlykke, K., Nedkvitne, T., Ramm, M. & Saigal, G.C. (1992) Diagenetic processes in the ‘Brent Group'. Pp. 263-288 in: Geology of the Brent Group (Morton, A.C., Haszeldine, R.S., Giles, M.R. & Brown, S., editors). Geological Society of London, Spec. Publ. 61.Google Scholar
Bonnot-Courtois, C. (1980) Le comportement des terres rares au cours de l'altération sous-marine et ses conséquences. Chem. Geol. 30, 30–119.Google Scholar
Bradshaw, M.J. (1975) Origin of montmorillonite bands in the Middle Jurassic of eastern England. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 26, 26–245.Google Scholar
Brown, G., Cart, J. A. & Weir, A.H. (1969) Zeolites of the clinoptilolite-heulandite type in sediments of southeast England. Mineral. Mag. 27, 27–480.Google Scholar
Buatier, M., Honnorez, J. & Ehret, G. (1989) Fe-smectiteglauconite transition in hydrothermal green clays from the Galapagos spreading center. Clays Clay Miner. 37, 37–532.Google Scholar
Chowdhury, A.N. (1982) Smectite, zeolite, biotite aand apatite in the Corallian (Oxfordian) sediments of the Baulking area in Berkshire, England. Geol. Mag. 119, 119–487.Google Scholar
Clements, R.G. (1993) Type-section of the Purbeck Limestone Group, Durlston Bay, Swanage. Proc. Dorset Nat. Hist. Archaeol. Soc. 114, 114–181.Google Scholar
Cox, B.M., Gallois, R.W. & Sumbler, M.G. (1994) The stratigraphy of the BGS Hartwell Borehole, near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Proc. Geol. Assoc. 105, 105–209.Google Scholar
Dixon, J.E., Fitton, J.G. & Frost, R.T.C. (1981) The tectonic significance of post-Carboniferous Igneous activity in the North Sea Basin. Pp. 12-137 in: Petroleum Geology of the Continental Shelf of Northwest Europe (Tiling, L.V. & Hobson, G.D., editors). Institute of Petroleum, London.Google Scholar
Elderfield, H. (1988) The ocean chemistry of the rareearth elements. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. Lond. A325, 325–105.Google Scholar
Fall, H.G., Gibb, F.G.F. & Kanaris-Sotiriou, R. (1982) Jurassic volcanic rocks of the northern North Sea. J. Geol. Soc. 139, 139–277.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fleet, A.J. (1984) Aqueous and sedimentary geochemistry of the rare earth elements. In: Rare Earth Element Geochemistry (Henderson, P., editor). Devel. Geochem. 2, Elsevier, Amsterdam.Google Scholar
Frey, F.A., Bryan, W.B. & Thompson, G. (1974) Atlantic oceanfloor: geochemistry and petrology of basalts from Legs 2 and 3 of the Deep-Sea Drilling Project. J. Geophys. Res. 79, 79–5507.Google Scholar
Gallois, R.W. (1994) Geology of the country around King's Lynn and the Wash. Mem. Brit. Geol. Surv. Google Scholar
Gallois, R.W. & Cox, B.M. (1994) The Kimmeridge Clay and underlying strata (Upper Jurassic) at Swindon, Wiltshire. Proc. Geol. Assoc. 105, 105–99.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gallois, R.W. & Worssam, B.C. (1983) Stratigraphy of the Harwell boreholes. Rep. Inst. Geol. Sci. FLPU 83-14.Google Scholar
German, C.R. & Elderfield, H. (1990) Application of the Ce anomaly as a paleoredox indicator: the ground rules. Paleoceanography, 5, 5–823.Google Scholar
Giles, M.R., Steveson, S., Martin, S.V., Cannon, S.J.C., Hamilton, P.J., Marshall, J.D. & Samways, G.M. (1992) The reservoir properties and diagenesis of the Brent Group: a regional perspective. Pp. 289-328 in: Geology of the Brent Group (Morton, A.C., Haszeldine, R.S., Giles, M.R. & Brown, S., editors). Geological Society of London, Spec. Publ. 61.Google Scholar
Glasmann, J.R. (1992) The fate of feldspars in Brent Group reservoirs: a regional synthesis of diagenesis in shallow, intermediate and deep burial environments. Pp. 329-350 in: Geology of the Brent Group (Morton, A.C., Haszeldine, R.S., Giles, M.R. & Brown, S., editors). Geological Society of London, Spec. Publ. 61.Google Scholar
Greenwood, P.J., Shaw, H.F. & Fallick, A.E. (1994) Pétrographie and isotopic evidence for diagenetic processes in Middle Jurassic sandstones and mudrocks from the Brae Area, North Sea. Clay Miner. 29, 29–637.Google Scholar
Grim, R.E. (1933) Petrography of the fuller's earth deposits of Olmstead, Illinois, with a brief study of some non-Illinois earths. Econ. Geol. 28, 28–344.Google Scholar
Grim, R.E. (1935) Petrography of fuller's earth deposits. Econ. Geol. 30, 30–825.Google Scholar
Hansen, P.L. & Lindgreen, H. (1989) Mixed-layer illitesmectite diagenesis in Upper Jurassic claystones from the North Sea and onshore Denmark. Clay Miner. 24, 24–197.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harris, N.B. (1992) Burial diagenesis of Brent Sandstones: a study of Statfjord, Hutton and Lyell fields. Pp. 350-376: in Geology of the Brent Group (Morton, A.C., Haszeldine, R.S., Giles, M.R. & Brown, S., editors). Geological Society of London, Spec. Publ. 61.Google Scholar
Harrison, R.K., Jeans, C.V. & Merriman, R.J. (1979) Mesozoic igneous rocks, hydrothermal mineralisation and volcanogenic sediments in Britain and adjacent regions. Bull. Geol. Surv. GB, 70, 70–57.Google Scholar
Haskin, L.A. (1984) Petrogenetic modelling - use of rare earth elements. In: Rare Earth Element Geochemistry (Henderson, P., editor). Devel. Geochem. 2, Elsevier, Amsterdam.Google Scholar
Hollingworth, S.E. & Taylor, J.H. (1951) The Northampton Sand Ironstone Formation. Stratigraphy, Structure and Reserves. Mem. Geol. Soc. Great Britain. Google Scholar
Jarvis, I. & Jarvis, K.E. (1985) Rare-earth element geochemistry of standard sediments: a study using inductively coupled plasma spectrometry. Chem. Geol. 53, 53–335.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jeans, C.V. (1973) The Market Weighton Structure: tectonics, sedimentation and diagenesis during the Cretaceous. Proc. forks. Geol. Soc. 39, 39–409.Google Scholar
Jeans, C.V. (1978) Silicifications and associated clay assemblages in the Cretaceous marine sediments of southern England. Clay Miner. 12, 12–101.Google Scholar
Jeans, C.V., Merriman, R.J. & Mitchell, J.G. (1977) Origin of Middle Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous fuller's earths in England. Clay Miner. 12, 12–11.Google Scholar
Jeans, C.V., Merriman, R.J., Mitchell, J.G. & Bland, D.J. (1982) Volcanic clays in the Cretaceous of southern England and Northern Ireland. Clay Miner. 17, 17–105.Google Scholar
Jeans, C.V., Fallick, A.E., Fisher, M.J., Merriman, R.J., Corfield, R.M. & Manighetti, B. (1997) Clay- and zeolite-bearing Triassic sediments at Kaka Point: evidence of microbially influenced mineral formation from earliest diagenesis into the lowest grades of metamorphism. Clay Miner. 32, 32–373.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jeans, C.V., Mitchell, J.G., Fisher, M.J., Wray, D.S. & Hall, I.R. (2000) K/Ar signatures and the age, origin and climatic signal of Mesozoic clays, England. Clay Miner, (submitted)Google Scholar
Kantorowicz, J.D. (1984) Nature, origin and distribution of authigenic clay minerals from Middle Jurassic Ravenscar and Brent Group andstones. Clay Miner. 19, 19–359.Google Scholar
Knox, R.W.O'B. (1970) Chamosite ooliths from the Winter Gill Ironstone (Jurassic) of Yorkshire, England. J. Sed. Pet. 10, 10–1216.Google Scholar
Knox, R.W.O'B. (1991) Ryazanian to Barremian mineral stratigraphy of the Speeton Clay in the Southern North Sea Basin. Proc. forks. Geol. Soc. 48, 48–255.Google Scholar
Knox, R.W.O'B. & Fletcher, B.N. (1978) Bentonites in the lower D (Ryazanian) of the Speeton Clay of Yorkshire. Proc. forks. Geol. Soc. 42, 42–21.Google Scholar
Le Maitre, R.W. (editor) (1989) A Classification of Igneous Rocks and Glossary of Terms. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.Google Scholar
Lindgreen, H. (1989) Elemental and structural changes in illilte/smectite mixed-layer minerals during diagenesis in Kimmeridgian-Volgian (-Ryazanian) clays in the Central Trough, North Sea and the Norwegian- Danish Basin. Bull. Geol. Soc. Denmark, 39, 39–1.Google Scholar
Malm, O.A., Furnes, H. & Bjørlykke, K. (1979) Volcanoclastics of Middle Jurassic age in the Statfjord oil-field of the North Sea. Neues Jahrb. Geol. Palàontol. Mon. 10, 10–607.Google Scholar
Merriman, R.J. & Roberts, B. (1990) Metabentonites in the Moffat Shale Group, Southern Uplands of Scotland: geochemical evidence of ensialic marginal basin volcanism. Geol. Mag. 127, 127–259.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Milodowski, A.E. & Wilmot, R.D. (1984) Diagenesis, porosity and permeability in the Corallian Beds (Upper Oxfordian) from the Harwell Research Site, South Oxfordshire, UK. Clay Miner. 19, 19–323.Google Scholar
Morgan, D.J., Highley, D.E. & Bland, D.J. (1979) A montmorillonite, kaolinite association in the Lower Cretaceous of South-east England. Proc. Int. Clay Conf. Oxford, 301-310.Google Scholar
Odin, G.S. (1988) Green Marine Clays. Devel. Sedimentol., 45. Elsevier, Amsterdam.Google Scholar
Penn, I.E., Merriman, R.J. & Wyatt, R.J. (1978) A proposed type section for the Fuller's Earth (Bathonian) based on the Horsecombe Vale No. 15 Borehole, near Bath, with details of contiguous strata. Rep. Inst. Geol. Sci. No. 78/22, Pt. 1.Google Scholar
Richards, P.C., Lott, G.K., Johnson, H., Knox, R.W.O'B. & Riding, J.B. (1993) Jurassic of the Central and Northern North Sea. In: Lithostratigraphic Nomenclature of the UK North Sea. (Knox, R.W.O'B. & Corbey, W.G., editors). BGS, Nottingham, UK.Google Scholar
Ritchie, J.D., Swallow, J.L., Mitchell, J.G. & Morton, A.C. (1988) Jurassic ages for intrusives and extrusives within the Forties Igneous Province. Scot. J. Geol. 24, 24–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roberts, B. & Merriman, R.J. (1990) Cambrian and Ordovician metabentonites in the northern sector of the Lower Palaeozoic Welsh marginal basin. Geol. Mag 127, 127–31.Google Scholar
Singer, A. & Stoffers, P. (1987) Mineralogy of a hydrothermal sequence in a core from the Atlantis II deep, Red Sea. Clay Miner. 22 251-67.Google Scholar
Smith, K. & Ritchie, J.D. (1993) Jurassic volcanic centres in the Central North Sea. Pp. 519-531 in: Petroleum Geology of Northwest Europe, Proceedings of 4th Conference (Parker, J.R., editor). Geological Society, London.Google Scholar
Spears, D.A. & Kanaris-Sotiriou, R. (1979) A geochemical and mineralogical investigation of some British and other European tonsteins. Sedimentology, 26, 26–407.Google Scholar
Sturesson, U. (1992) Volcanic ash: the source material for Ordovician chamosite ooids in Sweden. J. Sed. Pet. 62, 62–1084.Google Scholar
Sturesson, U. (1995) Llanvirnian (Ord.) iron ooids in Baltoscandia: element mobility, REE distribution patterns, and origin of the REE. Chem. Geol. 125, 125–45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sturesson, U., Dronov, A. & Saadre R (1999) Lower Ordovician iron ooids and associated oolitic clays in Russia and Estonia: a clue to the origin of iron oolites. Sed. Geol. 123, 123–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, J.H. (1949) Petrology of the Northampton Sand Ironstone Formation. Mem. Geol. Soc. Great Britain. Google Scholar
Taylor, K.G. (1988) Spatial and temporal variations in early diagenetic organic matter oxidation pathways in Lower Jurassic mudstones of eastern England. Chem. Geol. 145, 145–47.Google Scholar
Taylor, K.G. (1990) Berthierine from the non-marine Wealden (Early Cretaceous) sediments of south-east England. Clay Miner. 25, 25–391.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thurrell, R.G., Sergeant, G.A. & Young, B.R (1970) Chamosite in Weald Clay from Horsham, Sussex. Rep. Inst. Geol. Sci. 70/7.Google Scholar
Waagé, K.N. (1961) Stratigraphy and refractory clay rocks of the Dakota Group along the Northern Front Range, Colorado. Bull. U.S. Geol. Surv. 1102.Google Scholar
Winchester, J.A. & Floyd, P.A. (1977) Geochemical discrimination of different magma series and their differentiation products using immobile elements. Chem. Geol. 20, 20–245.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Woodhall, D. & Knox, R.W.O'B. (1979) Mesozoic volcanism in the northern North Sea and adjacent areas. Bull. Geol. Soc. GB, 70, 70–57.Google Scholar
Wray, D.S. & Wood, C.J. (1998) Distinction between detrital and volcanogenic clay-rich beds in Turonian- Coniacian chalks of eastern England. Proc. forks. Geol. Soc. 52, 52–95.Google Scholar
Zimmerle, W. (1982) Sedimentologische Dunnschliff - Analyse der dunklen Tonstein von Ober- und Unter- Alb (Niedersâchsischen Becken). Geol. Jahrb. A65, 65–63.Google Scholar