Geochemistry and mineralogy of the Truc Thon Clay, Hai Duong Province, North Vietnam: implication for paleoclimatic and provenance analysis

Tha Hoang Van; Shahid  Iqbal; Urszula Czarniecka; Anna  Wysocka; Pha Phan Dong; Cuong Nguyen Quoc; Ha Vu Van; Tuan Dang Minh

doi:10.15625/2615-9783/16572

Author affiliations

Authors

Hoang Van Tha Institute of Geological Sciences, VAST, Hanoi, Vietnam
Shahid Iqbal Department of Earth Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
Urszula Czarniecka Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, P.O Box 1047 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway
Anna Wysocka Faculty of Geology, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 93, Warsaw, Poland
Phan Dong Pha Institute of Marine Geology and Geophysics, VAST, Hanoi, Vietnam
Nguyen Quoc Cuong Institute of Geological Sciences, VAST, Hanoi, Vietnam
Vu Van Ha Institute of Geological Sciences, VAST, Hanoi, Vietnam
Dang Minh Tuan Institute of Geological Sciences, VAST, Hanoi, Vietnam

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15625/2615-9783/16572

Keywords:

Truc Thon clay, bulk-rock geochemistry, clay mineralogy, paleoclimate, provenance

Abstract

During the Miocene-Pleistocene, generally sub-tropical to tropical warm and humid paleoclimate prevailed in Southeast Asia with a gradual cooling trend. The Truc Thon clay (TTC) mine presents interesting outcrops for sedimentological and provenance analysis. The present study uses results of geological investigation in 16 outcrops and wells at the clay mine Truc Thon. The TTC has lens-shaped geometry, filled with two clay bodies, including grey-white clay and multicolor clay. Bulk mineralogy indicates the predominance of quartz and a relatively high amount of pyrophyllite. Clay mineralogy shows the presence of main kaolinite, followed by illite and mixed-layer illite-smectite. These may interpret a warm, humid paleoclimatic condition in the source areas. Illite may be inherited from basement rocks. The bulk rock geochemistry supports intense chemical weathering with the Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) in the TTC ranged ca. 80.6-98 (average = 90.4). In combination with the geochemical proxies and the mineralogical composition of the TTC, the chemical weathering intensity indicated warm/hot, semi-humid/humid tropical paleoclimate in the source area. A combination of mineralogical and geochemical analyses with regional geological features show that the Hon Gai Triassic rocks are the main source for the TTC. Source materials are originally related to silicic rocks of granitic-granodioritic composition. Paleoclimatic conditions favored intense chemical weathering of the Hon Gai Triassic rocks and surrounding rocks, creating a ceramic mine of great industrial value.

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