Occurrence of clays and their bearing of evaporite mineralogy in the Salado Formation, Delaware Basin (New Mexico)

Conference · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1984 · Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:6596458

Harville, D G; Fritz, S J

Clays are a prevalent constituent in the McNutt Potash Member of the upper Salado Formation, New Mexico. The mode of clay distribution is varied and is an important indicator of fluid movement. Clays in the study area occur as thick clay seams (up to 5 cm), disseminated deposits, and as linings on crystal contacts. These different occurrences represent varying conditions during evaporite deposition: 1) thick clay seams represent major incursions of fresh seawater diluting the Delaware Basin sea; 2) disseminated deposits portray undisturbed portions of primary evaporite mineral precipitations; and 3) clay linings on langbeinite and sylvite represent percolation of solutions which dissolved pre-existing primary minerals,resulting in deposition of clays upon downward migration of the last solution front. Although the clay chemistries vary little, the clay mineralogy differs with respect to its associated evaporite mineralogy. Low-charge corrensite is associated with halite, anhydrite and polyhalite; whereas high-charge corrensite is associated with langbeinite and sylvite. Retrograde diagenesis seems to be the dominant mechanism responsible for the presence of potash bitter salts. This process involves percolation of fresh seawater into poorly crystalline strata, causing replacement of primary salts like kainite, kieserite and carnallite with secondary salts like langbeinite, sylvite, and loewite. Retrograde diagenesis also best explains the abrupt lateral changes in kieserite facies to langbeinite facies.

• Research Organization: Core Laboratories Inc., Aurora, CO (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6596458
• Report Number(s): CONF-8510489-
• Journal Information: Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States), Journal Name: Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States) Vol. 17; ISSN GAAPB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580300* -- Mineralogy
Petrology
& Rock Mechanics-- (-1989)
580400 -- Geochemistry-- (-1989)
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CLAYS
DIAGENESIS
EVAPORITES
FEDERAL REGION VI
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
MINERALOGY
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
PRECIPITATION
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
USA