Detrtial Zircon as a Tool in Stratigraphic Correlation and Sedimentary Provenance Analysis, 2008

From detailed analytical studies of detrital grains of the mineral zircon (ZrSiO4) in clastic sediments, it is possible to obtain unique information on the age, composition and petrogenesis of the rock(s) in which the zircons formed (the protosource). For any given sedimentary rock, chemical and isotopic data from a multi-grain population of single, detrital zircons analysed in this way provide a characteristic fingerprint (the provenance signature) which is important for stratigraphic correlation studies and for identification of the sources of clastic material.
The project used quantitative data from detrital zircon grains and bulk rocks to 1) Develop isotope tools for stratigraphic correlation across basins and for provenance analysis. 2) Identify the provenance of the materials that the make up the sedimentary rocks. 3) Identify transport pathways. 4) Evaluate the mass-balance of clastic material deposited in a sedimentary basin.

The research targets were the Mesozoic sedimentary rocks of the Barents Sea, where hydrocarbon exploration is now in its initial stages. Provenance studies (i.e. determining the source(s) the sediments were derived from) and stratigraphic correlation within the basin is of great importance for the understanding of basin evolution for practical petroleum exploration and development work.

The project made full use of the new multicollector, plasma-source mass spectrometer laboratory at the Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo.