Petrology of the Sentinel Butte Formation (Paleocene), North Dakota Nels F
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
University of North Dakota UND Scholarly Commons Theses and Dissertations Theses, Dissertations, and Senior Projects 1985 Petrology of the Sentinel Butte Formation (Paleocene), North Dakota Nels F. Forsman University of North Dakota Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.und.edu/theses Part of the Geology Commons Recommended Citation Forsman, Nels F., "Petrology of the Sentinel Butte Formation (Paleocene), North Dakota" (1985). Theses and Dissertations. 96. https://commons.und.edu/theses/96 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, and Senior Projects at UND Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of UND Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. PETROLOGY OF THE SENTINEL BUTTE FORMATION (PALEOCENE), NORTH DAKOTA by Nels F. Forsman Bachelor of Science, University of North Dakota, 197ij Master of Science, University of Houston, 1978 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the . University of North Dakota in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Grand Forks, North Dakota May 1985 This Dissertation submitted by Nels F. Forsman in partial fullfillrnent of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the University of North Dakota is hereby approved by the Faculty Advisory Committee under whom the work has been done. This Dissertation meets the standards for appearance and conforms to the style and format requirements of the Graduate School of the University of North Dakota, and is hereby approved. Dean of the Graduate School Permission Title Petrology of the Sentinel Butte Formation (Paleocene), North Dakota Department Geology--------------------------- Degree Doctor of Philosophy In presenting this dissertation in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a graduate degree from the University of North Dakota, I agree that the Library of this University shall make it freely available for inspection. I further agree that permission for extensive_copying for scholarly purposes may be granted by the professor who supervised my thesis work or, in his absence, by the Chairman of the Department or the Dean of the Graduate School. It is understood that any copying or publication or other use of this thesis or part thereof for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. It is also understood that due recognition shall be given to me and to the University of North Dakota in any scholarly use which may be made of any material in my thesis. Signature____________ ~ Date---------------~ iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.............................................. vi LIST OF TABLES ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• viii AICNOWL.EDGEMENTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • X ABSTRACT. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Xi INTRODUCTION. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 General Statement........................................... 1 Purpose. • • • • • • • .. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 Geologic Setting and General Geology........................ 2 Previous Work............................................... 6 Methods. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • .. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 11 Field 5ampling. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 11 Laboratory Treatment..................................... 14 Analytical Procedures.................................... 1q ROCK TYPES..................................................... 16 PETROGRAPHY AND CLASSIFICATION................................. 22 Detrital Constituents....................................... 22 Rock Fragments........................................... 25 Quartz..................................................... 31 Feldspar. • • . • • • .. • . • .. • • • • . • . • .. • . • • . • . • • . • • . • • • 31 Petrographic Determination of Quartz and Feldspar........ 311 Calcite and Dolomite..................................... 37 Micas.................................................... 38 Heavy Minerals........................................... 38 Clay Minerals............................................ 39 Classification.............................................. 41 Authigenic Constituents...................................... 41 Montmorillonite.......................................... 44 Kaolinite. • • • . • • • • • • • . • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • • . • • • . • • • 45 carbonates • . • • • . • • . • . • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • . • • 50 Zeoli tes. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 55 Heulandite Group •••• ,................................. 58 Ana le ime • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 61 Barite................................. .. .. .............. 66 Pyrite •••••.••••••••••••••• .;............................. 67 Si.Ilea Minerals............................................. 67 Gypsum. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 70 Iron OX ides. • . • • • • • • .. • • • • • • . • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . 77 BULK ROCK CHEMICAL ANALYSIS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ,... 78 BENTONITE. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • .. • • • • •. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • .. • • • 81 iv • The Sentinel Butte Bentonite/Ash............................ 82 The Marmarth Bentonite/Ash.................................. 97 Bentonite Petrographic Characteristics •••••••••••••••••••••• 101 CLAY MINERAL ORIGINS AND CHEMICAL COMPARISONS •••••••••••••••••• 105 LIGNITE........................................................ 117 DISCUSSION. • • . • • • • . • . • . • • • • • • • . • • • . • • • • . • • . • . • • . • . • 123 Introductory Statement •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 123 Detrital Constituents •••••••.•••••.••••.••••••.•••••.••••••• 12ij Diagenesis. .. • . 132 Chemical Analysis of Sedimentary Rocks •••••••••••••••••••••• 135 Bentoni te. .. .. 137 CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER WORK ••••••••••••••••••• 146 Summary of Conclusions .....••.•.•.•...••.....•••••.••...••.. 146 Concluding Statement and Suggestions for Further Work ••••••• 147 APPENDICES..... • . • .. • • . • . • • • • • . • • • • . • • • • • • . • . • . • • . • • . • 15·1 Appendix A. Measured Section Descriptions and sample Locations ........ .;............................. 152 Appendix B. _Disaggregation and Sand:Silt:Clay Determination Procedure •••••••.••...•.••••...•• 181 Appendix C. Sand:Silt:Clay Percentages and Grain Size Cla.ssification .......... ·..........•............ 183 Appendix D. Microprobe Data: Volcanic Rock Fragments •••••• 187 Appendix E. Microprobe Data: Feldspars •••••••••••••••••••• 190 Appendix F. Clay Mineralogy of Samples •••••••••.•••••...••• 194 Appendix G. Microprobe Data: Zeolites ••••••••••..••...•••• 198 Appendix H. Grain Size Data from Sentinel Butte Bentonite/Ash and Marmarth Ash ••••••••••••••••• 201 Appendix I. Microprobe Data: <2 um Clay ••••••••••••••••••• 205 Appendix J. Discriminant Scores from Clay sample Groups •••• 207 Appendix K. Proximate/Ultimate Data from Lignitic samples . •••....•........•........•........•.... 210 Appendix L. Correlation Coefficients and Summary Statistics for Lignitic samples •••••••••••••••• 215 REFERENCES CITED.......... • . • • • • . • • • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • . • 217 V -- ----------------------------- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1. Generalized Geologic Column of Surface Rocks in Western North Dakota and Eastern Montana..................... 5 2. Location Map of Measured Section Sites ••••••••••••••••••••••••• 13 3. Genera_lized Composite Lithologic Section or Sentinel Butte Formation ••••••••••••.•••••••••.•••••••••••••• 18 4. Ternary Diagram of Volcanic Rock Fragment Phenocryst Compositions. • • • • . • . .. • • • • . • . • . • . • • . • • • . • • . 28 5. Thin Section Photomicrographs of Sentinel Butte Formation Rock Fragments..................................... 30 6. Second-Cycle Detrital Quartz Grains Bearing Quartz Overgrowths ••.•••••..•••••••••••••••••••••••.•..•••••. 33 7. Ternary Diagram of Feldspar Grains from Upper and Basal Sentinel Butte Sandstones ••••••••.••••.•••••••••...•••••••••• 36 8. Sandstone Classification Triangle ••••••••••.••••••••••••••••••• 43 I 9. SEM Photograph of Authigenic Montmorillonite ••••••••••••••••••• 47 10. Photomicrograph of sand-Size Kaolinite Grain ••••••••••••••••••• 49 11. Thin Section Photomicrographs of Authigenic Calcite and Dolomite. • . • . • . 52 12. SEM Photographs of Authigenic Calcite and Dolomite ••••••••••••• 54 13. SEM Photograph of Authigenic Rhodochrosite ••••••••••••••••••••• 57 14. Photographs of Authigenic Zeolites ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 60 15. Photographs of Authigenic Analcime ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 63 16. Photographs of Authigenic Analcime ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 65 !' I 17. SEM Photographs of Authigenic Pyrite ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 69 I' 18. SEM Photograph of Authigenic Opal. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 72 19. SEM Photograph of Authigenic