Mohamme d Al-Hosni

Sultan Qaboos University College of Science Department of Earth Science

Digitally signed by Mohammed AlHosni DN: cn=Mohammed Al-Hosni, o, ou=Oman GEOP, email=smart_88@live.com, c=OM Date: 2012.02.04 17:37:44 Z

Report:

Field Trip to SQU Commerce Parking Area Cross Section

Done By: 1. Mohammed Saif Salim Al Hosni 2. Saif Haroon Al Balushi 3. walid al khzairi 4. Nasser Sultan Mohammed Al Habsi 5. Mohammed Sultan Al Busaidi 6. Hamad Nasser Al Sinani

ID# 70399 ID# 70613 ID# 69433 ID# 70625 ID# 55821 ID# 70248

Instructor: Dr. Rushdi Sadaqah Date: 27 December 2009

Abstract: This report will cover the various characters of the lithofacies in a vertical cross section which is composed of sedimentary rock; each lithofacies will be discussed in term of its color, texture and composition. The data is obtained from the direct examination of the rock units, a vertical section with a true thickness scale and applying the knowledge from the course of "sedimentary Petrology" Book1. The main rock units found in the area are conglomerate and sandstone. The final interpretation of the depositional environments are mostly to be lagoon and fluvial.

Introduction:

This report is concerned about the various data in the rock units at the study area. The area of study is SQU College of Commerce road cut for the new car parking area, the east cross section. The field was conducted on 15 April 2009. The cross section is fresh and clear, with distinctive rock units depending on their lithology. The main rock units in the study vertical section are conglomerate and sandstone. Each rock unit will be discussed in term of thickness, color, texture, composition, sedimentary structure and depositional environment. The rock units texture will cove the grain size, grain shape, sorting and grain contact. The interpretation of the depositional environment will be only on the basis of the data obtained and identified in the field area. The report contains a strip log of the vertical section with a true thickness scale (using hand sketch), a sketch of the overall texture and a description about the depositional processes.

"Sedimentary Petrology" 3rd Edition, by Maurice E. Tucker

1. Layer One: The first layer in the outcrop is a thick conglomerate unit with a thickness of 1.95 meters. The bed is dipping by an angle of (25 degree) towards East direction with an abrupt contact with the lower unit. The clastics at the bottom of the bed are coarser than the top of the bed. 1.1Color: The conglomerate unit consists of a fine green color matrix which indicates the presence of sulfur mineral. The clastics are mixture of several colors such as dark red chert - From the Hawasina Super Group which produced by oxidization due to the fluid circulation in the deep ocean from both poles to the equator2. Other calstics are orange, black and dark grey in color see (Fig. 1.1). 1.2. Texture: 1.2.1 Grain Size: The matrix is very fine grain, it is estimated that it is less than 63. The clastics are mostly more than 2cm in diameter with a maximum grain diameter of 6cm which is between the medium pebbles to fine cobble see (Fig.1.1). 1.2.2. Grain Shape & Sorting: The clasts in the conglomerate bed are rounded to subrounded due to abrasion and collision of clastics with the surface, which indicate the long transportation distance as a bed load. Most of the clastics are prolated (extended spheres). The grains are poorly sorted due to the presence of the fine matrix with large clastics which indicate that it's a fluvial deposit see (Fig.1.1).

Fig 1.1 Grain Color, Grain Size, Grain Fabric

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Personal information by Dr . Rushdi Sadaqah

1.2.3. Grain Fabric: The bed is grain supported with mostly point contact "orthoconglomerate". The clastics have no preferred orientation. The packing is moderately close due to the fine matrix, but it's no cemented as a hard non-porous rock, which indicate medium to low porosity and permeability see (Fig.1.2).

Fig 1.2 Oxidization spots by Hematite, Green Matrix "Gluconite

Fig 1.3 Gypsum veins, Clear photo, across the whole sequence

1.3. Composition: The matrix is composed of sulfur minerals, an authegenic mineral (Gluconite) with a mixture of calstics from various origins such as: red Chert from Hawasina supergroup. This mixture indicates that the conglomerate is extraformational. 1.4. Sedimentary Structure: A dark orange oxidization spots by Hematite where recognized at the surface of the outcrop and between the clastics and the matrix see (Fig 1.2). Thin sheets like vines of pure white Gypsum are cutting across the unit see 1.5. Interpretation: From the data above a table with the various characters of the unit with the possible depositional environments is shown (Table 1.1).
Table 1.1 characters of the unit with possible depositional processes, environment and source area Color Feature present Matrix:Green (sulfur) Clastics: Various colors Grain Size/Sorting Fine matrix with large clastics, poorly sorted Grain Shape Rounded to subrounded , prolated Grain Fabric grain supported, point contact Compsition Sulfur minerals, varius clastics

Possible processes /environment /Area

Matrix: gluconite, diagenesis Clastics: source area mountain,etc.

Fluvial, channels,

Long transportation by fluvial, abrasion

Channels, stream flood, fluvial

Sulfur: indicate lagoon env. Clastics: different origin source area, such as basement rock, deep sea chert

The most acceptable processes are that the source area was a high land with different origin rocks, in a humid environment fluvial /lagoon environment, the clastics were transported for along distance and then subjected to burial, compaction and diagenesis , which form the gluconite matrix. 2. Layer Two: This layer is also a thick conglomerate unit with thickness of 2.5 meter; the contact between the two beds is gradual, by changing the cement color and composition. 2.1 Color: The matrix is light gray cement. The clastics are with various color, such as: black, dark gray, green and dark red. This variation in color indicates that the conglomerate is extraformational see (Fig 2.1).

2.2 Texture: 2.2.1 Grain size: The matrix is very fine cement with size of less than 63 whereas The Grains are mostly between (3mm granular to 20 mm coarse pebbles) see (Fig 2.1). 2.2.2 Grain shape and Sorting: The clastics are rounded to subrounded; the conglomerate is poorly sorted due to the presence of the fine cement see (Fig 2.1). 2.2.3 Grain Fabric: The conglomerate is grain supported (orthoconglomerate), the matrix is a rigid cement. The packing is dense and the presence of cement makes it with low porosity and permeability see (Fig 2.1).

Fig 2.1 Grain color, Grain size, Grain fabric 2.3 Composition: The clastics are of various origins, such as basement rock and deep marine Chert, basalt and metamorphosed rock, which indicate that the conglomerate is Extraformational. 2.4 Sedimentary Structure: The conglomerate bed is massive with a gypsum veins sheets and some oxidization spots.

2.5 Interpretation: From the data obtained above the following table gives the possible depositional system, processes and area of the weathered sediment see (Table 2.1).
Table 2.1 characters of the unit with possible depositional processes, environment and source area Color Feature present Matrix: light grey by siliciclastics Clastics: Various colors Possible processes /environment /Area Matrix: detrital sediment. Clastics: source area mountain,etc. Fluvial, channels, Long transportation by fluvial, abrasion Channels, stream flood, fluvial Grain Size/Sorting Fine matrix with large clastics, poorly sorted Grain Shape Rounded to subrounded , prolated Grain Fabric grain supported, Compsition Detrital cement , mixture of various rock fragment

Clastics: different origin source area, such as basement rock, deep sea chert, basalt

From this data this layer was deposited as following: the various rock fragment were subjected in the mountain were subjected to weathering, these fragment transported far away from their source area by water current. The calstics where deposited along with the cement which gives the bed it's very rigid character.

3. Layer Three: This Layer consists of two parts, the lower part is red sandstone, and the upper part is greenish sandstone.The thickness of the layer is about 0.7 meter. It consist mainly from coarse grain sand and also contains some granular to pebbles clastics inter-bedded in the sand randomly or as small groups see (Fig 3.1). 3.1 Color: The lower part is orange to dark orange sand size grains, which indicate the presence of Hematite in an oxidization environment. The upper part is green to grey sand size grains, which indicate the presence of sulfur minerals see (Fig 3.1). The granular to pebbles size fragment are of various colors. 3.2 Texture: 3.2.1 Grain size: The main grains are coarse sand size grains; some clastics of granular to fine pebbles are present.

3.2.2

Grain shape and sorting: Sand grins are subrounded, whith some subrounded granular. The layer is poorly to moderately sorted because of the presence of the large clastic in the coarse sand.

Green color sandstone (Litharenite)

Orange color sandstone (Litharenite)

Fig 3.1 Layer3 Color, Grain Color, grain Fabric, Sorting

3.2.3

Grain Fabric: The sandstone is well packed with no preferred orientation. The layer is with low porosity and permeability due to the difference in grain size. 3.3 Composition: The sand grins contain iron minerals (Hematite), which is result of land (detrital) sediment. 3.4 Sedimentary Structure: The main sedimentary structure found is the gypsum veins. The clastic layer shows no lamination. 3.5 Interpretation: From the data in layer three the following table is constructed see (Table 3.1).

Table 3.1 characters of the unit with possible depositional processes, environment and source area. Color Feature present Orange coarse sand, possible hematite mineral, Green sand, possible sulfur mineral Clastics of various color Fluvial environment, possible iron containing rocks and sulfur , clastics Grain Size/Sorting Coarse sand size grains, some clastics and thin conglomerate bed, poorly sorted Grain Shape Rounded to subrounded Grain Fabric No orientation, low porosity, massive bed Compsition Coarse sand size rock fragments, clastics of the conglomerate of various origin

Possible processes /environment /Area

Fluvial deposit, change in current speed to deposit the large clastics

fluvial, abrasion, the sand grains indicate a long distance from source area.

Channels, streams, fluvial,

Lower part: iron containing parent rock. Upper part: sulfur containing parent rock

4. Layer four: This layer has a thickness of 1.8 meter. The layer consist of two parts: the lower part is a conglomerate with pebbles clastics, and the upper part is sandstone interbedded with a conglomerate with fine pebbles see (Fig 4.2). 4.1 Color: The conglomerate contains a light grey with some parts of a green color matrix. The clastics are of various colors such as: red, black, light green and dark brown see (Fig 4.1).

4.2 Texture: Fig 4.1 Layer4 Color, Grain Color, grain Fabric, Sorting

4.2.1

Grain size: The conglomerate clastics are ranging from 3 mm granular to 16 mm coarse pebbles with a sand size matrix. The sand grains are a mixture of finem medium and coarse sand.

4.2.2

Grain shape and Sorting: The conglomerate clastics are rounded to subrounded. The matrix is a mixture of very fine mud and rounded sand grains. Grain Fabric: There is no preferred orientation; the conglomerate is with low porosity and permeability due to the cement. The sandstone is moderately porous and permeable.

4.2.3

4.3 Composition: The conglomerate contains a mixture of calastics such as: chert, basalt and slate. The cement is mixture of fragment and fine grains detrital cement. The sandstone is mainly rock fragment (litharenite) from various origins. 4.4 Sedimentary Structure: The gypsum vein crossing the layer is present. The oxidization spots are also present in the unit. Another structure is a spheres of grains compacted together, which may represent a nodules formed during diagenesis see (Fig 4.2).

Fig 4.2 Nodules structure and oxidization spots 4.5 Interpretation: From the data about layer five, the following table is constructed see (table 4.1). The change from conglomerate to sandstone was due to the change in water current speed. The conglomerate part of the unit subjected to cementation and sandstone part formed the nodules structure during diagenesis.

Table 4.1 characters of the unit with possible depositional processes, environment and source area. Color Feature present Conglomerate: matrix is grey and green, clastics of mixture of colors, /sandstone:green sand and colored fragment Conglomerate: extraformational, different origin, sandstone: green diagenetic mineral, fragment of various origin. Grain Size/Sorting Conglomerate: poorly sorted, large clastics sandstone: poorly sorted , small fragment Grain Shape Rounded to subrounded , Grain Fabric Conglomerate: matrix supported ,no preferred orientation, Compsition Conglomerate: different origin clastics, cement, Sandstone: rock fragment (litharenite), fine green color grains Clastics: different origin source area, such as basement rock, deep sea chert, basalt - Green color grains (authiginic)

Possible processes /environment /Area

Fluvial, channels deposits and changing in current speed

Long transportation by fluvial, abrasion

Channels, stream flood, fluvial

5. Layer five: This layer is the have the same characters of the lower part of layer three, it consist of orange to grey litharenite sandstone. 5.1 Color: The main unit color is red, with some grey- green color parts. The rock fragment are of various color such as: green, dark grey and derk red. The red color is concentrated more in the very coarse sand beds. 5.2 Texture: 5.2.1 Grain size: The grains are mainly medium sand grains with small beds of very coarse sand. 5.2.2 Grain shape and Sorting: The grains are rounded to subrounded, the bed is poorly to moderately sorted. 5.2.3 Grain Fabric: The bed has no preferred orientation, and the grains are moderately packed which gives it a moderate porosity and permeability.

5.3 Composition: The main lithic fragments are of various color, which indicate different origin, the orange color fine sand indicate the presence of hematite which means a rock containing iron minerals.

5.4 Sedimentary Structure: A gypsum vein is cutting as a sheet across thee layer. The coarse grain sand makes a lens like shapes inside the layer.

5.5 Interpretation:
Table 5.1 characters of the unit with possible depositional processes, environment and source area. Color Feature present Orange coarse sand, possible hematite mineral, Grain Size/Sorting Coarse sand size grains, some clastics, poorly to moderately sorted Fluvial deposit, change in current speed to deposit the large grains sand Grain Shape Rounded to subrounded Grain Fabric No orientation, Composition Coarse sand size, rock fragments,

Possible processes /environment /Area

Fluvial environment, possible iron containing rocks

fluvial, abrasion, the sand grains indicate a long distance from source area.

Channels, streams, fluvial, High porosity

iron containing parent rock, different origin source area

Appreciation:

I would like to thanks Dr.Rushdi Sadaqah for his effort in arranging this Field trip and for his explanation about the study area.

Conclusion:

The Field trip was a powerful tool in which it teaches as how to recognize the different lithofacies and analyze the various characters of the rocks units. We where able to recognize the conglomerate with its parameter, and the interpretation of the depositional environment expand our knowledge about the paleography of the tertiary time. These lithiofacies are believed to be deposited by the some process which mainly a siliciclastic sequence. The conglomerate with the large rounded clastics indicate a fluvial current with high energy in which the clastics where transported for a long distance. The overlaying cemented conglomerate with small clastics indicates a reduction in the current speed, and the sandstone with the coarse grain indicates a further reduces in the speed current or a long distance from the source area. The increase in the grain size to form the conglomerate and the decrease is mainly by fluctuation in the current speed and transportation distance.