Raman microspectroscopy, bitumen reflectance and illite crystallinity scale: comparison of different geothermometry methods on fossiliferous Proterozoic sedimentary basins (DR Congo, Mauritania and Australia)
[en] Sedimentary rocks containing microfossils are crucial archives to reconstitute early life evolution on Earth. However, the preservation of microfossils within rocks depends on several physico-chemical factors. Among these factors, the thermal evolution of the host rocks can be decisive. Here, we investigated carbonaceous shale samples containing exquisitely preserved organic-walled microfossils assemblages from three Proterozoic shallow marine sedimentary sequences: the Mbuji-Mayi Supergroup (Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Basin), the Atar/El Mreïti Group (Mauritania, Taoudeni Basin) and the Kanpa Formation (Australia, Officer Basin). Thermal maturity of these rock samples is evaluated with Raman geothermometry, Raman reflectance, solid bitumen reflectance, illite crystallinity and Thermal Alteration Index. The comparison of results coming from these different techniques validates the use of Raman reflectance on Proterozoic carbonaceous material and especially for poorly-ordered carbonaceous material. We show that extracted kerogen (microfossils and amorphous organic material) is more accurate to estimate the thermal maturity of low-grade temperature Proterozoic sequences than kerogen in thin section. All techniques provide consistent range of temperatures except for Raman geothermometry, giving slightly higher estimates. Raman reflectance appears to be a fast, robust and non-destructive tool to evaluate the thermal maturity of poorly-organized carbonaceous material from Proterozoic rocks.
Disciplines :
Earth sciences & physical geography
Author, co-author :
Kabamba Baludikay, Blaise ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de géologie > Paléobiogéologie - Paléobotanique - Paléopalynologie (PPP)
François, Camille ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de géologie > Paléobiogéologie - Paléobotanique - Paléopalynologie (PPP)
Sforna, Marie-Catherine ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de géologie > Paléobiogéologie - Paléobotanique - Paléopalynologie (PPP)
Cornet, Yohan ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de géologie > Paléobiogéologie - Paléobotanique - Paléopalynologie (PPP)
Storme, Jean-Yves
Fagel, Nathalie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de géologie > Argiles, géochimie et environnements sédimentaires
Fontaine, François ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de géologie > Argiles, géochimie et environnements sédimentaires
Littke, Ralph; Rheinisch - Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen - RWTH > Institute of Geology and Geochemistry of Petroleum and Coal > EMR Group
Baudet, Daniel; Musée royal de l'Afrique centrale > Sciences de la Terre > Géodynamique et ressources minérales
Delvaux, Damien; Musée royal de l'Afrique centrale > Sciences de la Terre > Géodynamique et ressources minérales
Javaux, Emmanuelle ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de géologie > Paléobiogéologie - Paléobotanique - Paléopalynologie (PPP)
Language :
English
Title :
Raman microspectroscopy, bitumen reflectance and illite crystallinity scale: comparison of different geothermometry methods on fossiliferous Proterozoic sedimentary basins (DR Congo, Mauritania and Australia)
Publication date :
27 March 2018
Journal title :
International Journal of Coal Geology
ISSN :
0166-5162
Publisher :
Elsevier, Netherlands
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
European Projects :
FP7 - 308074 - ELITE - Early Life Traces, Evolution, and Implications for Astrobiology
Name of the research project :
Early Life Tarces, Evolution and implications for Astrobiology
Funders :
CER - Conseil Européen de la Recherche [BE] CE - Commission Européenne [BE]
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