Quartz arenites: review and interpretation

sedimentary facies analysis of the >2.8 Ga Beniah and Bell Lake formations, Slave Province, Northwest Territories /

“…Depositional environments vary from fluvial to eoliaii as well as shallow marine and are distinguishable mainly through textural evidence and sedimentary structures that are unique to each setting (Chandler 1988). Fluvial quartz-arenites commonly contain subangular to angular quartz grains, are poorly sorted, contain immature heavy mineral suites, as well as a kaolinitic matrix (Chandler 1988).…”

“…Fluvial quartz-arenites commonly contain subangular to angular quartz grains, are poorly sorted, contain immature heavy mineral suites, as well as a kaolinitic matrix (Chandler 1988). Quartz-arenites derived from a fluvial setting occur in tropical climates with shield-like terranes whereby transport from the source is relatively short and a high residence time in the soil results in the chemical removal of less stable minerals such as feldspars and lithic fragments (Chandler 1988).…”

“…Sedimentary structures, such as large-scale cross-bedding, up to tens of metres thick, assist in identifying eolian quartz-arenites (Chandler 1988). …”

“…The rising and falling of tides and/or wave action cause the grains to be in constant contact with one another, resulting in rounded to well-rounded, well-sorted sands (Chandler 1988). This depositional environment can also be readily identified through the presence of sedimentary structures such as low-angle tabular, tangential and herring-bone cross-bedding, mud drapes deposited on foresets of cross-laminae, channel scours, reactivation surfaces and tidal bundles (Nio & Yang 1991).…”

“…Suttner et al 1981;Chandler 1988;Johnsson et.al. 1988;Soegaard & Eriksson 1989;Chakraborty & Bose 1990), but Archean quartz-arenites are less well-known and their origin is poorly understood.…”