Sequence Stratigraphy, Sedimentology, and Correlation of the Undifferentiated Cambrian Dolomites of the Grand Canyon and Lake Mead Area
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UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations 1-1-1997 Sequence stratigraphy, sedimentology, and correlation of the undifferentiated Cambrian dolomites of the Grand Canyon and Lake Mead area Viacheslav Sergeevich Korolev University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/rtds Repository Citation Korolev, Viacheslav Sergeevich, "Sequence stratigraphy, sedimentology, and correlation of the undifferentiated Cambrian dolomites of the Grand Canyon and Lake Mead area" (1997). UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations. 3332. http://dx.doi.org/10.25669/rlc2-a4bm This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. 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Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY, SEDIMENTOLOGY, AND CORRELATION OF THE UNDIFFERENTIATED CAMBRIAN DOLOMITES OF THE GRAND CANYON AND LAKE MEAD AREA by Viacheslav S. Korolev A thesis submitted in. partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Geoscience Department of Geoscience University of Nevada, Las Vegas August, 1997 ____________________ Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 1387137 UMI Microform 1387137 Copyright 1997, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arhor, MI 48103 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The Thesis of Viacheslav S. Korolev for the degree of Master of Science in Geology is approved. Vdi--- — Chafrpersc^I, Stephezfhx M. Rowland, Ph.D. Examining Committee Member, Frederick Bachhuber, Ph.D. Examining Committee Member, David L. Weide, Ph.D. Graduate Faculty Representative, Robert M. Winokur, Ph.D. Dean of the Graduate College, Ronald W. Smith, Ph.D. University of Nevada, Las Vegas July 1997 11 _____ Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT In the Grand Canyon and Lake Mead areas of Nevada, Arizona and Utah, there is a light-colored dolomite succession that conformably overlies the Cambrian Muav Limestone; McKee (1945) referred to these rocks as undifferentiated Cambrian dolomites, and their age and correlation have remained uncertain. Seven stratigraphie sections were studied, including those at Quartermaster Canyon, Mile-269 Canyon, Diamond Bar Ranch, Devil's Cove, Tramp Ridge, Whitney Ridge, and Frenchman Mountain. The thickness of the undifferentiated dolomites increases to the west from 78 meters at Diamond Bar Ranch to 371 meters at Frenchman Mountain. In the Grand Canyon area, the undifferentiated dolomites are unconformably overlain by Devonian rocks, while in craton-meirgin sections the undifferentiated dolomites are conformeibly overlain by the Upper Cambricin Nopah Formation. Within the undifferentiated dolomites eight depos itional facies were established: (1) burrow-mottled facies; (2) flat-pebble grainstone facies ; (3) stromatolite facies; (4) oolitic-grainstone facies ; (5) bioclastic- grainstone facies; (6) ribbon-rock facies ; (7) nodular facies; and (8) laminite facies. The depos itional environment represented by each facies was established. iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. I identified seven depositional sequences within the undifferentiated dolomite succession. Each sequence is represented by an upward-shallowing succession of facies that is bounded at the top by a zone of maximum exposure and very commonly by an unconformity. The undifferentiated dolomite succession was subdivided into two lithologically distinct units. On the basis of lithostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy, these two units were correlated between the sections examined in this study, and they are coitpared with several sections in the Basin and Range Province and the Lake Mead area that were described by Gans (1974) and Montaflez and Osleger (1993, 1996). I have correlated the undifferentiated dolomites (together with the upper three members of the Muav Limestone) with the Banded Mountain Member of the Bonanza King Formation and the upper part of the Emigrant Formation in the Basin and Range Province. The undifferentiated dolomites correspond to a biostratigraphically well defined Cambrian interval in the Basin and Range Province that contains the Bolasoidella, Cedaria. and Crepiceohalus trilobite zones. The overlying Nopah Formation contains the Aphelaspis biozone. Therefore, the undifferentiated dolomites sure Middle-Upper Cambrian in age. In the Grand Canyon, only the lower part of the IV Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. undifferentiated dolomites survived pre-Devonian erosion and is assumed to be entirely Middle Cambrian. Following recommendations of the North American Commission on Stratigraphie Nomenclature (1983) and the International Subcommission on Stratigraphie Classification (1987) , I suggest the formal name "Frenchman Mountain Dolomite" for the rock unit previously referred to as the undifferentiated dolomites. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT............................................. iii LIST OF FIGURES...................................... viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS....................................... xi CHARTER 1 INTRODUCTION.................................. 1 1.1. Purpose of the Study........................... 1 1.2. Brief Review of Previous Reseeurch............... 4 1.3. Study Area and Location of Measured Sections..... 9 1.4. Methods of Study.............................. 13 1.5. The Problem of Defining the Middle -Upper Cambrian boundary..................................... 14 1.6. General Geology............................... 16 CHAPTER 2 REGIONAL STRATIGRAPHIC RELATIONSHIPS........... 19 2.1. Introduction................................. 19 2.2. Regional Stratigraphie and Lithologie Correlation.................................. 22 2.3. Biostratigraphy............................... 42 CHAPTER 3 SEDIMENTOLOGY.................................45 3.1. Introduction................................. 45 3.2. Lithofacies.................................. 45 3.2.1. Burrow-mottled facies.................. 47 3.2.2. Flat-pebble grains tone facies...........58 3.2.3. Stromatolite facies.................... 60 3.2.4. Oolitic grains tone facies.............. 68 3.2.5. Bioclastic grains tone facies........... 73 3.2.6. Ribbon rock facies.....................74 3.2.7. Nodular facies........................ 78 3.2.8. Laminite facies....................... 80 CHAPTER 4 SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY......................... 86 4.1. Introduction................................. 86 4.2. Peritidal and Subtidal Cycles Within the Undifferentiated Dolomites.....................92 4.3. Third-Order Depositional Sequences and Sequence Boundauries.................................. 100 4.4. Brief Comparison with the Work of Montaüez and Osleger (1993, 1996)......................... 113 4.5. Conclusion ................................. 119 CHAPTER 5 AGE OF THE UNDIFFERENTIATED DOLOMITES..........121