Correlation of Bentonites from the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway (KWIS)

Bentonites are layers of clay mienrals which are used as datums for startigraphic analysis. However,the extensiveness of bentonites over a study region makes it difficult to visually correlate them across space, especially when the lithology of the rock above and below the bentonite lays changes or the bentonites are not visible in certain areas. Here we attempt to geochmically correlate bentonites using Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (ED-XRF) to determine whether bentonites in the Cretaceous Western Inerior Seaway (KWIS) carry a unique elemental signature which can be used to correlate bentoniets from different geologic formation (Gallup Sandstone, Ferron Notom Delta, and Juana Lopez Member of the Cralisle Formation).