Elemental and chemostratigraphic characterization of a Mississippian core interval from south central Kansas

Abstract

Elemental analysis of major and trace metals was conducted on samples obtained from an 86 ft cored interval of rocks from the Canton#1-36 well KS. Samples were collected every 3 ft, mechanically crushed, dried and analyzed for major and trace metal content. The bulk lithological composition of the analyzed core section is dominantly dolomitic-cherty tripolite with zones that are composed of mostly dolomite and limestone units near the top of the core interval. The goal of this study is to determine major and trace metal composition in the cored interval, identify chemostratigraphic markers associated with the cored interval, interpret the depositional processes associated with the sedimentary deposits and model a chemostratigraphic succession for the interval. Major elements including Si, Ca, Mg, Al, K, and Na and trace metals including Fe, Zn, Pb, Sr, Mn, Ni, Hg were determined using an Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. Preliminary results show high Fe concentrations occurring in carbonate-rich zones, and elevated Pb correlating with high Fe concentrations in the measured samples. Ca, Mg and Si represent the highest metal contents in the samples but vary in amounts for different intervals. Elevated Na and K occur in samples from the upper portion of the studied interval. Significant amounts of Hg and Mn were also observed in some samples.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90221 © 2015 Mid-Continent Section, Tulsa, Oklahoma, October 4-6, 2015