Berenyi Jason 192903513 MS
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STRATIGRAPHIC INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE GENESIS OF ANOMALOUSLY THICK COAL DEPOSITS IN EAST-CENTRAL SASKATCHEWAN A Thesis Submitted to The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Master of Science in Geology University of Regina by Jason Berenyi Regina, Saskatchewan September 7, 2016 ©Copyright 2016: J. Berenyi UNIVERSITY OF REGINA FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH SUPERVISORY AND EXAMINING COMMITTEE Jason Ashley Berenyi, candidate for the degree of Master of Science in Geology, has presented a thesis titled, Stratigraphic Investigations into the Genesis of Anomalously Thick Coal Deposits in East-Central Saskatchewan, in an oral examination held on April 29, 2016. The following committee members have found the thesis acceptable in form and content, and that the candidate demonstrated satisfactory knowledge of the subject material. External Examiner: *Mr. James D. Bamburak, Manitoba Geological Survey Supervisor: Dr. Hairuo Qing, Department of Geology Committee Member: Dr. Maria Velez, Department of Geology Chair of Defense: Dr. Cory Butz, Faculty of Science *Via teleconference Abstract The discovery of anonymously thick Cretaceous-age coal deposits in east-central Saskatchewan in 2008 generated a great deal of interest in the province and raised a number of geologic questions. Unlike other parts of the Saskatchewan where Mannville coals are laterally extensive and restricted to a few metres of thickness, these deposits appeared to be hosted in isolated ‘sub-basins’ with coal thicknesses exceeding 100 m. Coal accumulating in these thicknesses is exceptionally rare, comprising less than 1% of global deposits. The remarkable nature of these deposits provided the impetus for this study, with the aim of unravelling the geologic processes responsible for their development. A reconstruction of the depositional history in east-central Saskatchewan, within the context of the development of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, showed that the study area was subject to a unique mixture of marginal marine and terrestrial sedimentary environments at various stages through the Devonian to Cretaceous periods. These settings exposed the project area to a number of geologic processes that facilitated the development of these coal deposits. Seventeen separate deposits have been discovered in the study area, and are delineated by over 140 drillholes. Detailed logging was conducted on 103 of these drillholes and the results were used to correlate the lithologic units with documented regional stratigraphy. Stratigraphic correlations across the sub-basins revealed abrupt changes in elevations of Paleozoic strata, over horizontal distances of less than 100 m. These changes reflect paleotopographic lows which appear to have developed on the Paleozoic carbonates by karsting or erosion, or a combination of the two. ii In the absence of obvious geologic process indicators, the best approach to understanding the development these sub-basins was to model their morphologies and compare them against current landforms. Stratigraphic logs were used to create 3D models for the eight deposits with the best well-control. The dimensions and morphologies of the sub-basins are most akin to modern day karst polje landforms. Base level polje landforms can develop restricted hydraulic systems creating an ideal setting for thick accumulations of peat. The coal in these deposits is a result of in-situ peat growth and auto-compaction in a limnic setting free of marine influence. A combination of dewatering and pore space reduction of the peat under its own weight allowed coal to begin to form at the base of the organic column, coincident to overlying peat growth. Periodic influxes of terrestrial, fluvial sediments introduced erratically distributed sand seams and partings into the coal beds. Peat growth terminated when a marine incursion blanketed the project area but subsidence, derived from the ongoing maturation of peat to coal, was active throughout the remainder of the Lower Cretaceous and the effects are recorded by changes in elevation of the formation surfaces from the sub-basin periphery to depocentre. iii Acknowledgements I would like to acknowledge the following organizations and people for assisting with this project: Goldsource Mines Inc., Saturn Minerals Inc. and Westcore Energy Ltd. for access to drill core and proprietary geophysical data The Saskatchewan Geological Survey, Mineral Lands and Resource Policy Division, Ministry of the Economy, Government of Saskatchewan for funding this research Dr. Hairuo Qing for his supervision Field Assistants: Ron Leray, Luc Chabanole, Julie Fillmore Arden Marsh for assistance with developing project specific logging parameters and to Sean Bosman for assistance with various software packages including: Logplot and GOCAD Special thanks to my wife, Deirdre O’Donohoe, for her patience and assistance with all aspects of study, work and life iv Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................................ ii Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... iv Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................. v List of Tables ............................................................................................................................ viii List of Figures ........................................................................................................................... viii List of Appendices ...................................................................................................................... xi Chapter 1.0 Project Overview .......................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Objectives .............................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Approach ................................................................................................................................ 2 1.3 Methodology .......................................................................................................................... 2 1.4 Study Area ............................................................................................................................. 5 1.5 Previous Research .................................................................................................................. 6 1.5.1 Paleozoic Stratigraphy in Project Area ........................................................................... 7 1.5.2 Mesozoic Stratigraphy in Project Area ........................................................................... 7 1.5.3 Regional Compilations of Particular Use in This Study ................................................. 9 1.6 Summary of Study Objectives and Challenges ...................................................................... 9 Chapter 2.0 Depositional History of the Study Area ..................................................................... 11 2.1 Paleozoic Sedimentary History in the Project Area ............................................................. 11 2.2 Mesozoic Sedimentary History in the Project Area ............................................................. 22 2.3 Quaternary Sedimentary History in the Project Area .......................................................... 32 2.4 Summary of the Depositional History of the Project Area .................................................. 32 Chapter 3.0 Lithologic Logging and Stratigraphic Interpretations ................................................ 34 3.1 Lithologic Logging of Drill Cores ....................................................................................... 34 3.2 East-Central Saskatchewan Stratigraphy ............................................................................. 35 3.3 Project Area Stratigraphy ..................................................................................................... 36 3.3.1 Interlake Group (Interlake Formation) .......................................................................... 36 3.3.2 Ashern Formation (Elk Point Group) ............................................................................ 41 3.3.3 Winnipegosis Formation (Elk Point Group) ................................................................. 43 3.3.4 Prairie Evaporite Formation (Elk Point Group) ............................................................ 47 3.3.5 Dawson Bay Formation (Manitoba Group) .................................................................. 47 v 3.3.6 Souris River Formation (Manitoba Group) ................................................................... 54 3.3.7 Duperow Formation (Saskatchewan Group) ................................................................. 57 3.3.8 Lower and Upper Watrous Formations ......................................................................... 57 3.3.9 Success S1 and S2 Formations...................................................................................... 57 3.3.10 Cantuar Formation (Mannville Group) ....................................................................... 60 3.3.11 Pense Formation (Mannville Group) .........................................................................