Abstract
This study sheds a light on the depositional environment of the late Cretaceous phosphorite deposits that belong to Amman/Al Hisa Formation. The genesis of phosphorus supplied to the oceanic reservoir is still controversial, either it came through weathering of pre-existing rocks or through upwelling of deep cold water bodies. For a better understanding of the depositional environment, samples of two sections from the Amman/Al Hisa Formation were collected for petrographic, isotope, and geochemical analyses. Petrographic studies were conducted in order to determine the microfacies associated with their depositional environment. Representative samples of the phosphate rocks were analyzed to identify their mineralogical and chemical compositions based on XRF, XRD, phosphate, and carbonate contents. 42Ca/42Ca and 143Nd/144Nd isotopes also used as an indicator for the intensity of phosphogenesis and describe the long-term changes in ocean circulation and continental weathering. The three obtained standard microfacies (SMF) types were fallen under three facies associations: deep rim (mudstone), open-marine (pack-wackestone), and restricted basin (peloidal grainstone). A good correlation has been observed between phosphorus and calcium contents in three intervals throughout the studied sections. There is a positive correlation between SiO2, and Al2O3 aligned with high positive excursion of Ca isotope and negative excursion of Nd isotopes confirming the sources of the terrigenous input in the marine system. In this case, tectonism was considered as important factor in genesis of phosphate. Tectonism was shaping the sub-basins and thus phosphate deposited in silled basins or open-marine interior in Jordan. On the other hand, the availability of nutrient (P2O5) occurred in deep and open-marine basins and coinciding with negative relationship of SiO2, and Al2O3 has indicated the upwelling system. Deep cold current brought nutrient (P2O5) to the shallower areas. Therefore, switching into Neo-Tethys deep oceanic current pulses took place in the rule of phosphorite deposition receiving an enormous amount of nutrients during late Cretaceous time.
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This research is financially supported by the World Federation of Scientists. This research is funded by the Ministry of Higher Education (Fund Number BAS/1/2/2019) and Dean of Research and Higher Education/Yarmouk University (Fund Number 11/2020).
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Alnimrat, R.M., Alqudah, M., Al-Shereideh, S. et al. Geochemical and petrological analyses of the phosphorite deposits (Amman/Al Hisa Formation) from northwest Jordan, and their insights for paleoenvironment. Arab J Geosci 15, 1259 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-022-10516-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-022-10516-5