Date of Award
2019
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.S. in Engineering Science
Department
Geology and Geological Engineering
First Advisor
Jennifer Gifford
Second Advisor
Brian Platt
Third Advisor
Ionka Widanagamage
Relational Format
dissertation/thesis
Abstract
Two newly discovered bentonite deposits in northern and southern Pontotoc County, Mississippi occur in the Upper Cretaceous outcrop in a banded pattern on the northeastern margin of the Mississippi Embayment (MSE). The entire Ripley Formation (Fm) consists of ~73 m of fossiliferous clay, sand, and calcareous sand beds. The bentonites are located stratigraphically within the Chiwapa Sandstone Member (CSM) at the top of the Ripley Fm and stratigraphically lie above previously mined bentonites in central Pontotoc County. Since the northern and southern bentonites differ stratigraphically from the previously mined bentonites, it is possible that there are other unknown bentonite deposits throughout Pontotoc County. This study utilizes heavy mineral separation, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), detrital zircon U-Pb geochronologic dating, stratigraphic analysis, and X-ray diffraction to determine and refine the possible sources and depositional environments of the upper Ripley bentonites.
Recommended Citation
Vitale, Elizabeth Jayne, "Detrital Zircon Provenance and Correlation of Two Newly Discovered Ripley Formation Bentonites: Pontotoc County, Mississippi" (2019). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1707.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/1707