Relation of heavy mineral suites to Pleistocene to Holocene shoreline sequences in Georgia
- Georgia Geologic Survey, Atlanta, GA (United States)
The major Pleistocene paleobarrier island complexes recognized on the Georgia coastal plain may represent two distinct shoreline sequences. This is suggested by differences in geomorphology and in heavy mineral suites. The higher and older Talbot, Penholoway, Wicomico, Okefenokee and Waycross complexes are characterized by large, linear, undissected sand bodies. The younger Pamlico, Princess Anne and Silver Bluff complexes consist of small, stubby and complexly dissected sand bodies and are similar to those developed on the Holocene shoreline. The average labile (1.88), ilmenite/leucoxene (1.28), and ZTR (22.07) indices of the three older complexes indicate distinctly more mature heavy mineral suites than the average labile, (8.88) ilmenite/leucoxene (4.54), and ZTR (18.42) indices in the younger complexes. The heavy mineral suites of the older shoreline sequence exhibit little variation in mineralogy. The heavy mineral suites in the younger sequence exhibit a greater range in mineralogy, and the suites change progressively from the Pamlico through the Silver Bluff complexes. Continuation of these trends is evident in the heavy mineral suite of the Holocene deposits. The increasing range in composition also indicates the relatively immaturity of the younger complexes. The difference in heavy mineral content between the older (0.53 wt. %) and the younger (1.33 wt. %) shoreline sequences may result from increased weathering and removal of the labile components during a warm inter-glacial period.
- OSTI ID:
- 6120522
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9304188-; CODEN: GAAPBC
- Journal Information:
- Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Vol. 25:4; Conference: 42. annual Geological Society of America (GSA) Southeastern Section meeting, Tallahassee, FL (United States), 1-2 Apr 1993; ISSN 0016-7592
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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