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First record of carbonates with spherulites and cone-in-cone structures from the Precambrian of Arctic Norway, and their palaeoenvironmental significance

First record of carbonates with spherulites and cone-in-cone structures from the Precambrian of Arctic Norway, and their palaeoenvironmental significance Thumbnail


Abstract

We report for the first time carbonates from the upper Ediacaran sedimentary succession of Finnmark, Arctic Norway. Carbonates occur as calcareous siliciclastic beds, lenses, and concretions, some with calcite spherulites and cone-in-cone (CIC) calcite, in a mudrock to fine-grained sandstone succession from approximately 3 m to 26 m above the base of the 2nd cycle of the Manndrapselva Member of the Stáhpogieddi Formation (Vestertana Group). They occur c. 40 m below the Ediacaran–Cambrian boundary, which is well defined by trace fossils. Thin-section petrography and scanning micro X-ray fluorescence elemental mapping reveal a layered composition of the calcareous sedimentary rocks. In some of those, well-developed nested cones of CIC calcite form the outer layer. Thin clay coatings outline individual cones. The inner layers are composed of (1) carbonate with calcite spherulites (grainstone) and (2) thinly laminated fine-grained calcareous siliciclastics (mudstone and wackestone) indicated by elevated concentrations of Al, Si, Fe, and Ti. The inner siliciclastic layers contain framboidal pyrite and probably organic matter. Formation of calcite spherulites took place probably at the sediment–water interface either in a coastal littoral environment or in situ in the sublittoral zone under high alkaline conditions whereas CIC calcite formed during burial diagenesis and clearly in pre-Caledonian time before metamorphism and cleavage formation. This new record of carbonates with calcite spherulites and CIC structures from the Ediacaran of Arctic Norway adds to their rare occurrences in the geological record.

Acceptance Date Apr 8, 2019
Publication Date Jul 15, 2019
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Precambrian Research
Print ISSN 0301-9268
Publisher Elsevier
Pages 99-110
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2019.04.014
Keywords Carbonates, Calcite spherulites, Cone-in-cone structures, Ediacaran, Norway, Baltica
Publisher URL https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2019.04.014

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