Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T14:53:11.225Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Smectite-illite-muscovite transformations, quartz dissolution, and Silica release in shales

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2024

Peter C. van de Kamp*
Affiliation:
40385 Queener Drive, Scio, Oregon 97374, USA
*
* E-mail address of corresponding author: [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Quantitative analysis of the smectite-to-illite and illite-to-muscovite transformations indicates that 17–28 wt.% SiO2 and 17–23 wt.% SiO2, respectively, are liberated during these reactions, assuming that Al is conserved. Dissolution of quartz silt in shales yields up to 6–9% SiO2 in the range up to 200°C and a further 10–15% SiO2 in the 200–500°C range. For muds altered to shales at 200°C, 14–20 wt.% silica is evolved. From 200 to 500°C, a further 18–28 wt.% silica is evolved. Additional small amounts of silica may be released in the alteration of feldspar to clay and by stylolitization of quartz silt. Thus, in the burial and temperature range of diagenesis into the epizone, major quantities of silica are released from clays and by quartz dissolution in shales. Within this range of alteration, concomitant decline of whole-rock Si/Al (SiO2/Al2O3) in the transformation of smectite to illite to muscovite suggests the liberated silica migrates from the source shale. As a result, the metamorphosed shales are more micaceous and less quartzose than their progenitor muds. In the diagenetic zone and anchizone, the evolved silica is probably a major source of quartz cement in sandstones. In the epizone, evolved silica is commonly present in quartz veins in the parent rocks. Fluid-inclusion temperatures in quartz overgrowths and fracture fillings in some sandstones suggest that some cements may have been derived from downdip basinal shales and pressure solution in sandstones.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 2008, The Clay Minerals Society

References

Abad, I. Mata, M.P. Nieto, F. and Velilla, N., 2001 The phyllosilicates in diagenetic-metamorphic rocks of the south Portuguese zone, southwestern Portugal The Canadian Mineralogist 39 15711589.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ague, J.J., 1991 Evidence for major mass transfer and volume strain during regional metamorphism of pelites Geology 19 855858.2.3.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ague, J.J., 1994 Mass transfer during Barrovian metamorphism of pelites, south-central Connecticut. I: evidence for changes in composition and volume American Journal of Science 294 9891057.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ague, J.J., 1994 Mass transfer during Barrovian metamorphism of pelites, south-central Connecticut. II: Channelized fluid flow and the growth of staurolite and kyanite American Journal of Science 294 10611134.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aplin, A.C. and Warren, E.A., 1994 Oxygen isotopic indications of the mechanisms of silica transport and quartz cementation in deeply buried sandstones Geology 22 847850.2.3.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Atherton, M.P., 1968 The variation in garnet, biotite and chlorite composition in medium grade pelitic rocks from the Dalradian, Scotland, with particular reference to the zonation in garnet Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 18 347371.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bjorlykke, K. and Egeberg, P.K., 1993 Quartz cementation in sedimentary basins American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 77 15381548.Google Scholar
Boles, J.R. and Franks, S.G., 1979 Clay diagenesis in Wilcox sandstones of southwest Texas: implications of smectite diagenesis on sandstone cementation Journal of Sedimentary Petrology 49 5570.Google Scholar
Burley, S.D. Mullis, J. and Matter, A., 1989 Timing of diagenesis in the Tartan Reservoir (UK North Sea): constraints from combined cathodoluminescence microscopy and fluid inclusion studies Marine and Petroleum Geology 6 98120.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chang, H.K. Mackenzie, F.T. and Schoonmaker, J., 1986 Comparisons between the diagenesis of dioctahedral and trioctahedral smectite, Brazilian offshore basins Clays and Clay Minerals 34 407423.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cortis, A.L., 1991 Geology, provenance and depositional environment of the Keewaywin Formation, Sandy Lake Greenstone Belt, northwestern Ontario Winnipeg, Canada University of Manitoba 265 pp.Google Scholar
Čyžienė, J. Molenaar, N. and Šliaupa, S., 2006 Clay-induced pressure solution as a Si source for quartz cement in sandstones of the Cambrian Deimena Group Geologija 53 821.Google Scholar
Deer, W.A. Howie, R.A. and Zussman, J., 1966 An Introduction to the Rock-forming Minerals London Longmans, Green and Co., Ltd. 528 pp.Google Scholar
Do Campo, M. and Nieto, F., 2003 Transmission electron microscopy study of very low-grade metamorphic evolution in Neproterozoic pelites of the Puncoviscana formation (Cordillera Oriental, NW Argentina) Clay Minerals 38 459481.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Erslev, E.A., 1998 Limited, localized nonvolatile element flux and volume change in Appalachian slates Geological Society of America Bulletin 110 900915.2.3.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eslinger, E. Highsmith, P. Albers, D. and De Mayo, B., 1979 Role of iron reduction in the conversion of smectite to illite in bentonites in the Disturbed Belt, Montana Clays and Clay Minerals 27 327338.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Evans, I.J., 1990 Quartz dissolution during shale diagenesis, implications for quartz cementation in sandstones Chemical Geology 89 239240.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fedo, C.M. Eriksson, K.A. and Krogstad, E.J., 1996 Geochemistry of shales from the Archean (∼3.0 Ga) Buhwa Greenstone Belt, Zimbabwe: implications for provenance and source-area weathering Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 60 17511763.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fisher, D.M. and Brantley, S.L., 1992 Models of quartz overgrowth and vein formation: Deformation and episodic fluid flow in an ancient subduction zone Journal of Geophysical Research 97 2004320061.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fleet, M.E. and Howie, R.A., 2003 Rock-Forming Minerals Sheet Silicates: Micas 2nd London Geological Society 3A.Google Scholar
Frey, M., 1978 Progressive low-grade metamorphism of a Black Shale Formation, Central Swiss Alps, with special reference to pyrophyllite and margarite bearing assemblages Journal of Petrology 19 95135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Füchtbauer, H., 1978 Zer herkunft des Quarzzements, abschätzung der Quarzauflösung in silt- und Sandsteinen Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 67 9911008.Google Scholar
Garcia-Lopez, S. Brime, C. Bastida, F. and Sarmiento, G.N., 1997 Simultaneous use of thermal indicators to analyse the transition from diagenesis to metamorphism: and example from the Variscan Belt of northwest Spain Geological Magazine 134 323334.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Garrels, R.M. and Mackenzie, F.T., 1971 Evolution of Sedimentary Rocks New York W.W. Norton & Company 397 pp.Google Scholar
Gieskes, J.M. Vrolijk, P. and Blanc, G., 1990 Hydrogeochemistry of the northern Barbados accretionary complex transect Journal of Geophysical Research 95 88098818.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Giles, M.R. Indrelid, S.L. Beynon, G. Amthor, J., Worden, R.H. and Morad, S., 2000 The origin of large-scale quartz cementation: evidence from large data sets and coupled heat-fluid mass transport modelling Quartz Cementation in Sandstones Blackwells, Oxford, UK International Association of Sedimentologists 2138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Girard, J.P. Munz, I.A. Johansen, H. Lacharpagne, J.-C. and Sommer, F., 2002 Diagenesis of the Hild Brent sandstones, northern North Sea: isotopic evidence for the prevailing influence of deep basinal water Journal of Sedimentary Research 72 746759.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gluyas, J. and Coleman, M., 1992 Material flux and porosity changes during sediment diagenesis Nature 356 5254.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gluyas, J. Robinson, A.G. Emery, D. Grant, S.M. Oxtoby, N.H. and Parker, J.R., 1993 The link between petroleum emplacement and sandstone cementation Petroleum Geology of Northwest Europe: Proceedings of the 4th Conference London Geological Society 13951402.Google Scholar
Gluyas, J. Garland, C. Oxtoby, N.H. Hogg, A.J.C., Worden, R.H. and Morad, S., 2000 Quartz cement: the Miller’s Tale Quartz Cementation in Sandstones Blackwells, Oxford, UK International Association of Sedimentologists 199218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gold, P.B., 1987 Textures and geochemistry of authigenic albite from Miocene sandstone, Louisiana Gulf Coast Journal of Sedimentary Petrology 57 353362.Google Scholar
Grim, R.E., 1968 Clay Mineralogy 2nd New York McGraw-Hill 596 pp.Google Scholar
Groshong, R.H., 1976 Strain and pressure solution in the Martinsburg Slate, Delaware Water Gap, New Jersey American Journal of Science 276 11311146.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harrison, M.J. Marshak, S. and Onasch, C.M., 2004 Stratigraphic control of hot fluids on anthracitization, Lackawanna synclinorium, Pennsylvania Tectonophysics 378 85103.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hartmann, B.H. Juhász-Bodnár, K. Ramseyer, K. Matter, A., Worden, R.H. and Morad, S., 2000 Polyphased quartz cementation and its sources: a case study from the Upper Paleozoic Haushi Group sandstones, Sultanate of Oman Quartz Cementation in Sandstones Blackwells, Oxford, UK International Association of Sedimentologists 253270.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hoffman, J. and Hower, J. (1979) Clay mineral assemblages as low grade metamorphic geothermometers: application to the thrust faulted Disturbed Belt of Montana, U.S.A. Pp. 5579 in: Aspects of Diagenesis (Scholle, P.A. and Schluger, P.R., editors). Special Publication, 26, Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hogg, A.J.C. Pearson, M. Fallick, A.E. and Hamilton, P.J., 1995 An integrated thermal and isotopic study of the diagenesis of the Brent Group, Alwyn South, U.K. North Sea Applied Geochemistry 10 531546.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hounslow, A.W. and Moore, J.M., 1967 Chemical petrology of Grenville schists near Fernleigh, Ontario Journal of Petrology 8 128.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hower, J. and Mowatt, T.C., 1966 The mineralogy of illites and mixed-layer illite/montmorillonites American Mineralogist 51 825854.Google Scholar
Hower, J. Eslinger, E. Hower, M.E. and Perry, E.A., 1976 Mechanism of burial metamorphism of argillaceous sediment: 1. Mineralogical and chemical evidence Geological Society of America Bulletin 87 725737.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hunziker, J.C. Frey, M. Clauer, N. Dallmeyer, R.D. Friedrichsen, H. Flehmig, W. Hochstrasser, K. Roggwiler, P. and Schwander, H., 1986 The evolution of illite to muscovite: mineralogical and isotopic data from the Glarus Alps, Switzerland Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 92 157180.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Inoue, A. Lanson, B. Marques-Fernandez, M. Sakharov, B.A. Murakami, T. Meunier, A. and Beaufort, D., 2005 Illite-smectite mixed-layer minerals in the hydrothermal alteration of volcanic rocks: 1. One-dimensional XRD structure analysis and characterization of component layers Clays and Clay Minerals 53 423439.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Knoke, R., 1966 Unterschungen zur diagenese an kalkkonk-retionen und umgebenden tonschiefern Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 12 139167.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Land, L.S. Milliken, K.L., Worden, R.H. and Morad, S., 2000 Regional loss of SiO2 and CaCO3, and gain of K2O during burial diagenesis of Gulf Coast mudrocks, USA Quartz Cementation in Sandstones Blackwells, Oxford, UK International Association of Sedimentologists 183197.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Land, L.S. Mack, L.E. Milliken, K.E. and Lynch, F.L., 1997 Burial diagenesis of argillaceous sediment, south Texas Gulf of Mexico sedimentary basin: A reexamination Geological Society of America Bulletin 109 215.2.3.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leder, F. and Park, W.C., 1986 Porosity reduction in sandstone by quartz overgrowth American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 70 17131728.Google Scholar
Li, G. Peacor, D.R. Merriman, R.J. and Roberts, B., 1994 The diagenetic to low-grade metamorphic evolution of matrix white micas in the system muscovite-paragonite in a mudrock from central Wales, United Kingdom Clays and Clay Minerals 42 369381.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Livi, K.J.T. Veblen, D.R. Ferry, J.M. and Frey, M., 1997 Evolution of 2:1 layered silicates in low-grade metamorphosed Liassic shales of Central Switzerland Journal of Metamorphic Geology 15 323344.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lynch, F.L., 1997 Frio shale mineralogy and the stoichiometry of the smecitite-to-illite reaction: the most important reaction in clastic sedimentary diagenesis Clays and Clay Minerals 45 618631.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lynch, F.L. Mack, L.E. and Land, L.S., 1997 Burial diagenesis of illite/smectite in shales and the origins of authigenic quartz and secondary porosity in sandstones Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 61 19952006.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marchand, A.M.E. Macaulay, C.I. Haszeldine, R.S. and Fallick, A.E., 2002 Pore water evolution in oilfield sandstones: constraints from oxygen isotope microanalyses of quartz cement Chemical Geology 191 285304.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maynard, J.B. Valloni, R. and Yu, H.-S., 1982 Composition of modern deep-sea sands from arc-related basins Trench-forearc Geology: Sedimentation and Tectonics on Modern and Ancient Active Plate Margins 10 551561.Google Scholar
Merriman, R.J. Frey, M., Frey, M. and Robinson, D., 1999 Patterns of very low-grade metamorphism in metapelitic rocks. Chapter 3 Low-Grade Metamorphism Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Ltd. 313 pp.Google Scholar
Merriman, R.J. Peacor, D.R., Frey, M. and Robinson, D., 1999 Very low-grade metapelites: mineralogy, microfabrics and measuring reaction progress. Chapter 2 Low-Grade Metamorphism Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Ltd. 313 pp.Google Scholar
Milliken, K.L., 1994 Cathodoluminescent textures and the origin of quartz silt in Oligocene mudrocks, south Texas Journal of Sedimentary Research A64 567571.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Milodowski, A.E. and Zalasiewicz, J.A. (1991) Redistribution of rare earth elements during diagenesis of turbidite/hemipelagic mudrock sequences of Llandovery age from central Wales. Pp. 101124 in: Developments in Sedimentary Provenance Studies (Morton, A.C., Todd, S.P., and Haughton, P.D.W., editors). Special Publication No. 57, Geological Society of London.Google Scholar
Mitcheltree, D.B. (1997) Basin and thermal history, geochemistry and pressure development of the Simpson Group (Middle Ordovician) based on part of Garvin, Grady and McClain Counties, the Anadarko Basin, Oklahoma. PhD thesis, University of Tulsa, 294 pp.Google Scholar
Moran, K. (2003) Compositional systematics of deep, low salinity waters in the Upper Wilcox of southeastern Texas. MSc thesis, Louisiana State University, 142 pp.Google Scholar
Moss, B.E. Haskin, L.A. and Dymek, R.F., 1996 Compositional variations in metamorphosed sediments of the Littleton Formation, New Hampshire, and the Carrabassett Formation, Maine, at sub-hand specimen, outcrop, and regional scales American Journal of Science 296 473505.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Newman, A.C.D., 1987 Chemistry of Clays and Clay Minerals London Mineralogical Society 480 pp.Google Scholar
Parnell, J. Middleton, D. Honghan, C. and Hall, D., 2001 The use of integrated fluid inclusion studies in constraining oil charge history and reservoir compartmentation: examples from the Jeanne d’Arc Basin, offshore Newfoundland Marine and Petroleum Geology 18 535549.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pettijohn, F.J., 1975 Sedimentary Rocks 3rd New York Harper & Row.Google Scholar
Pickering, K.T. and Stow, D.A.V., 1986 Inorganic Major, Minor, and Trace Element Geochemistry and Clay Mineralogy of Sediments from the Deep Sea Drilling Project Leg 96, Gulf of Mexico Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, 96 .CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Powell, W., 2003 Greenschist-facies metamorphism of the Burgess Shale and its implications for models of fossil formation and preservation Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 40 1325.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Quinn, O.F. and Haszeldine, R.S. (2004) Quartz cementation of a faulted sandstone at shallow burial: petrographic and poroperm data: UK North Sea. Search and Discovery article #90027, .Google Scholar
Richards, I.J. Connelly, J.B. Gregory, R.T. and Gray, D.R., 2002 The importance of diffusion, advection, and host-rock lithology on vein formation: A stable isotope study from the Paleozoic Ouachita orogenic belt, Arkansas and Oklahoma Geological Society of America Bulletin 114 13431355.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rossi, C. Goldstein, R.H. Ceriani, A. and Marfil, R., 2002 Fluid inclusions record thermal and fluid evolution in reservoir sandstones, Khatatba Formation, Western Desert, Egypt: A case for fluid injection American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 86 17751799.Google Scholar
Shipboard Scientific Party (1995) Sites 931–942 (Flood, R.D., Piper, D.J.W., and Klaus, A. et al., editors). Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports, 155, 123567.Google Scholar
Sibley, D.F. and Blatt, H., 1976 Intergranular pressure solution and cementation of the Tuscarora Quartzite Journal of Sedimentary Petrology 46 881896.Google Scholar
Smith, M.P. and Yardley, B.W.D., 1999 Fluid evolution during metamorphism of the Otago Schist, New Zealand: (1) evidence from fluid inclusions Journal of Metamorphic Geology 17 173186.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spötl, C. Houseknecht, D.W. Riciputi, L.R., Worden, R.H. and Morad, S., 2000 High-temperature quartz cement and the role of stylolites in a deep gas reservoir, Spiro Sandstone, Arkoma Basin, USA Quartz Cementation in Sandstones Blackwells, Oxford, UK International Association of Sedimentologists 281297.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Środoń, J. Morgan, D.J. Eslinger, E.V. Eberl, D.D. and Karlinger, M.R., 1986 Chemistry of illite-smectite and end-member illite Clays and Clay Minerals 34 368378.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Statler, A.T., 1965 Stratigraphy of the Simpson Group in Oklahoma Tulsa Geological Society Digest 33 162209.Google Scholar
Stone, W.N. Siever, R., Crossey, L.J. Loucks, R. and Totten, M.W., 1996 Quantifying compaction, pressure solution and quartz cementation in moderately- and deeply-buried quartzose sandstones from the greater Green River Basin, Wyoming Siliciclastic Diagenesis and Fluid Flow: Concepts and Applications Tulsa, Oklahoma Society for Sedimentary Geology 129150.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sutton, S.J. and Land, L.S., 1996 Postdepositional chemical alteration of Ouachita shales Geological Society of America Bulletin 108 978991.2.3.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Szalkowsi, D.S. (2000) Low salinity waters in deep sedimentary basins. M.Sc. thesis, Louisana State University, 231 pp.Google Scholar
Thomas, A.R. Dahl, W.R. Hall, C.M. and York, D., 1993 40Ar/39Ar analyses of authigenic muscovite, timing of stylolitization, and implications for pressure solution mechanisms; Jurassic Norphlet Formation, offshore Alabama Clays and Clay Minerals 41 269279.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thomson, A. and Ireland, H.A., 1959 Pressure solution and porosity Silica in Sediments Tulsa, Oklahoma Society of Sedimentary Geology 92111.Google Scholar
Towe, K.M., 1962 Clay mineral diagenesis as a possible source of silica cement in sedimentary rocks Journal of Sedimentary Petrology 32 2628.Google Scholar
Van de Kamp, P.C. Leake, B.E. and Senior, A., 1976 The petrography and geochemistry of some Californian arkoses with application to identifying gneisses of metasedimentary origin Journal of Geology 84 195212.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van de Kamp, P.C. and Leake, B.E., 1997 Mineralogy, geochemistry, provenance and sodium metasomatism of Torridonian rift basin clastic rocks, NW Scotland Scottish Journal of Geology 33 105124.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vidale, R.J., 1974 Vein assemblages and metamorphism in Dutchess County, New York Geological Society of America Bulletin 85 303306.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walderhaug, O., 1994 Temperatures of quartz cementation in Jurassic sandstones from the Norwegian continental shelf-evidence from fluid inclusions Journal of Sedimentary Research 64 311323.Google Scholar
Walderhaug, O. and Bjorkum, P.A., 2003 The effect of stylolite spacing on quartz cementation in the Lower Jurassic Stø Formation, southern Barents Sea Journal of Sedimentary Research 73 146156.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Watanabe, Y. (2002) The late Archean biosphere: Implications of organic and inorganic geochemistry of marine shales and terrestrial paleosols. PhD thesis, Pennsylvania State University, 169 pp.Google Scholar
Wilkinson, M. Crowley, S.F. and Marshall, J.D., 1992 Model for evolution of oxygen isotope ratios in the pore fluids of mudrocks during burial Marine and Petroleum Geology 9 98105.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilkinson, M. Milliken, K.L. and Haszeldine, S., 2001 Systematic destruction of K-feldspar in deeply buried rift and passive margin sandstones Journal of the Geological Society, London 158 675683.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wintsch, R.P. and Kvale, C.M., 1994 Differential mobility of elements in burial diagenesis of siliciclastic rocks Journal of Sedimentary Research 64 349361.Google Scholar
Wright, T.O. and Platt, L.B., 1982 Pressure dissolution and cleavage in the Martinsburg Slate American Journal of Science 282 122135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wycherley, H.L. Parnell, J. Watt, G.R. Chen, H. and Boyce, A.J., 2003 Indicators of hot fluid migration in sedimentary basins: evidence from the UK Atlantic Margin Petroleum Geoscience 9 357374.CrossRefGoogle Scholar