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Characterization of the Govanda Formation limestones: chemostratigraphy and tectonic setting of the last marine carbonate rocks in the Arabia–Eurasia suture zone, NW Zagros fold-thrust belt

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Abstract

Three stratigraphic sections were sampled to demystify the geochemical properties of the shallow marine Govanda Formation, located in the Arabia–Eurasia suture zone at  ~ 1500 m above sea level. This study examined the geochemistry of major, trace, rare earth elements (REE) and the petrography of carbonate rocks of the lower–middle Miocene Govanda Formation. Microfacies analysis shows that packstone and wackestone dominate the ticker western section, whereas the eastern sections contain grainstone and clastic units. The carbonates were deposited in shallow marine reef-fore-reef environments unaffected by diagenetic alterations. The limestone beds have a consistent seawater-like REE pattern, slightly negative Ce anomalies (Ce/Ce* = 0.79 in massive limestone–MSL and = 0.89 in marly limestone–ML), relatively positive Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 1.18 in MSL and = 1.14 in ML), and moderately high Y/Ho ratios (37.69 n = 29). The REE + Y pattern of samples mainly retains its original characters, but the variations in the total rare earth element (ΣREE) content are detected, which could reflect minor detrital material inputs. Authigenic U, negative Ce anomalies, and trace element ratio indices such as V/Cr, U/Th, Ni/Co, and V/(V + Ni) indicate suboxic–anoxic deposition condition. A positive correlation of Al2O3% contents with Fe2O3% links the carbonate units of the Govanda Formation to marine limestones. The Rb–Sr-Ba ternary diagram, and Sr/Ba vs. Sr/Rb, Al2O3% vs. Fe2O3%, and Ce/Ce* vs. Sm/Yb bivariate analyses imply that the studied limestones originated in a passive margin tectonic setting.

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Acknowledgements

We express our gratitude to Dr. Azad T. Saeed and Prof. Dr. Sardar M. Balaky (Soran University) for their assistance during fieldwork. We extend our appreciation to Prof. Dr. Yawooz A. Kettanah (Dalhousie University) for his invaluable scientific guidance and discussion. We would also like to acknowledge the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.

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  1. Earth Sciences and Petroleum Department, College of Science, Salahaddin University–Erbil, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

    Zhin S. Abdulrehman & Ahmed M. Aqrawi

  2. Department of Structural Geology and Geodynamics, Geoscience Center, University of Gottingen, Gottingen, Germany

    Renas I. Koshnaw

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  1. Zhin S. Abdulrehman
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  2. Ahmed M. Aqrawi
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Contributions

Research methodology, data collecting, data analysis, and interpretation of results were all conducted by Zh S Abdulrehman. Fieldwork, data collecting, and methodology were all supervised by Assistant Professor A M Aqrawi. Review, correction, and helpful suggestions for improvement were all offered by Dr. R I Koshnaw and Asst. Prof. A M Aqrawi.

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Correspondence to Zhin S. Abdulrehman.

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Abdulrehman, Z.S., Aqrawi, A.M. & Koshnaw, R.I. Characterization of the Govanda Formation limestones: chemostratigraphy and tectonic setting of the last marine carbonate rocks in the Arabia–Eurasia suture zone, NW Zagros fold-thrust belt. Carbonates Evaporites 38, 72 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-023-00897-3

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