Sulfur, iron and carbon distribution in the Utica Shale of central New York State and Quebec

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:5591277

Hannigan, R; Mitchell, C E ^[1]

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1. State Univ. of New York, Buffalo, NY (United States). Dept. of Geology

The Utica Shale is a distinct unit common to the Taconic Foreland Basin of Central New York State and Quebec. The shale is distinguished by its dark color and graptoliferous nature. Prior geochemical analysis, organic and inorganic carbon, suggested that the Utica Shale was deposited under dysaerobic conditions. Recent studies of anaerobic and dysaerobic environments by Berner and others show that the degree of pyritization method (DOP) provides more accurate and informative results than other methods. Samples of Utica Shale taken from the Americanus Zone on Canajoharie Cr. and Flat Cr., the Ruedemanni Zone on Nowadaga Cr. and Flat Cr. and the Spiniferus and Pygmaeus zones on Nowadaga Cr., Yatesville Cr. in the Mohawk Valley and at Neuville in Quebec. These samples were analyzed for carbon content, sulfur, iron and degree of pyritization. The majority of the Utica Shale was deposited under anaerobic conditions. The results showed the shale to be strongly enriched in sulfur and that while the shale was deposited pyrite formed within the water column independent of the presence of local organic matter. Deposition of reactive iron phases was coupled with the presence of organic carbon along the sediment-water interface. The DOP results show that, over time, the sediment-water interface became more oxygenated with the basin bottom water strongly anaerobic during Americanus Zone time became decreasingly so in younger time periods reaching moderately dysaerobic conditions by early Pyqmaeus time.

• OSTI ID: 5591277
• Report Number(s): CONF-921058--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 24:7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
CANADA
CARBON
CHEMISTRY
DEPOSITION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DISTRIBUTION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
IRON
MATTER
METALS
MINERALIZATION
NEW YORK
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC MATTER
QUEBEC
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
STRATIGRAPHY
SULFUR
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA