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Sedimentology and integrated chronostratigraphy of the lower Heatherdale Shale (Cambrian, stages 2–3), Stansbury Basin, South Australia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 December 2020

Feiyang Chen Open the ORCID record for Feiyang Chen [Opens in a new window] ,
Glenn A. Brock ,
Marissa J. Betts ,
Zhiliang Zhang ,
Hao Yun ,
Robert Matthew Klaebe ,
Brittany Laing  and
Zhifei Zhang Open the ORCID record for Zhifei Zhang [Opens in a new window]
Feiyang Chen
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Early Life & Environments and Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710069, China Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales2109, Australia
Glenn A. Brock*
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Early Life & Environments and Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710069, China Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales2109, Australia
Marissa J. Betts
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Early Life & Environments and Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710069, China Palaeoscience Research Centre, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales2351, Australia
Zhiliang Zhang
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Early Life & Environments and Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710069, China Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales2109, Australia
Hao Yun
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Early Life & Environments and Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710069, China
Robert Matthew Klaebe
Affiliation:
Biogeochemistry Facility, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia5005, Australia
Brittany Laing
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales2109, Australia Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5E2, Canada
Zhifei Zhang*
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Early Life & Environments and Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710069, China
*
Authors for correspondence: Glenn A. Brock, Email: glenn.brock@mq.edu.au; Zhifei Zhang, Email: elizf@nwu.edu.au
Authors for correspondence: Glenn A. Brock, Email: glenn.brock@mq.edu.au; Zhifei Zhang, Email: elizf@nwu.edu.au
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Abstract

Major progress has recently been made regarding the biostratigraphy, lithostratigraphy and isotope chemostratigraphy of the lower Cambrian successions in South Australia, in particular of the Arrowie Basin, which has facilitated robust global stratigraphic correlations. However, lack of faunal and sedimentological data from the lower Cambrian Normanville Group in the eastern Stansbury Basin, South Australia – particularly the transition from the Fork Tree Limestone to the Heatherdale Shale – has prevented resolution of the age range, lithofacies, depositional environments and regional correlation of this succession. Here we present detailed sedimentologic, biostratigraphic and chemostratigraphic data through this transition in the eastern Stansbury Basin. Three lithofacies are identified that indicate a deepening depositional environment ranging from inner-mid-shelf (Lithofacies A and B) to outer shelf (Lithofacies C). New δ13C chemostratigraphic data capture global positive excursion III within the lower Heatherdale Shale. Recovered bradoriid Sinskolutella cuspidata supports an upper Stage 2 (Micrina etheridgei Zone). The combined geochemistry and palaeontology data reveal that the lower Heatherdale Shale is older than previously appreciated. This integrated study improves regional chronostratigraphic resolution and interbasinal correlation, and better constrains the depositional setting of this important lower Cambrian package from the eastern Stansbury Basin, South Australia.

Keywords

Heatherdale ShaleFork Tree Limestoneearly CambrianpalaeontologypalaeoenvironmentchemostratigraphySouth Australia
Type
Original Article
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 158 , Issue 7 , July 2021 , pp. 1224 - 1236
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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