Provenance, diagenesis, and paleoclimate of Albian-Lower Turonian deposits in the Douala sub-basin, Cameroon: Sedimentological, mineralogical, and petrographical approaches

The sedimentological, mineralogical, and petrographic compositions of the Albian - Lower Turonian deposits at four sites in the northern part of the Douala sub-basin located in the heart of the Guinea Gulf were investigated to determine their provenance, paleoclimate, and diagenetic effects from thi...

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Main Authors: Christel Sobdjou-Kemteu, Milan Stafford Tchouatcha, Wael Fathi Galal, Soureiyatou Fadil-Djenabou, Usman Abubakar, Francis Thierry Togozo, Emmanuel Ndjeng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Solid Earth Sciences
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451912X25000327
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author Christel Sobdjou-Kemteu
Milan Stafford Tchouatcha
Wael Fathi Galal
Soureiyatou Fadil-Djenabou
Usman Abubakar
Francis Thierry Togozo
Emmanuel Ndjeng
author_facet Christel Sobdjou-Kemteu
Milan Stafford Tchouatcha
Wael Fathi Galal
Soureiyatou Fadil-Djenabou
Usman Abubakar
Francis Thierry Togozo
Emmanuel Ndjeng
author_sort Christel Sobdjou-Kemteu
collection DOAJ
description The sedimentological, mineralogical, and petrographic compositions of the Albian - Lower Turonian deposits at four sites in the northern part of the Douala sub-basin located in the heart of the Guinea Gulf were investigated to determine their provenance, paleoclimate, and diagenetic effects from thirty-eight (38) samples. Several lithologies are identified, ranging from clays/shales to silty clays, poor consolidated fine-to coarse-grained sandstones, and conglomerates to conglomeratic sandstones. The deposits are made up of successive positive sequences in the eastern part of the Mungo River and cyclic deposits in the western part. The sandstones are primarily arkose wacke, secondarily arkose, subarkose, sublith-arenite, and rare lithic arenite and wacke derived from the Neoproterozoic basement formed during the Pan-African orogenesis. The presence of heavy minerals such as tourmaline, kyanite and sillimanite indicates that the deposits originate from plutonic and metamorphic sources. The rarity of these latest in the sediments suggest the intense chemical weathering that has affected the source rocks. These deposits are mainly proximal. Additionally, the association of polycrystalline quartz with undulatory extinction and monocrystalline quartz with non-undulatory extinction suggests a mixed source. The various microstructures and morphologies of zircon grains including prismatic, sub-angular and sub-prismatic shapes further support a mixed provenance. The dominance of prismatic shape and non-undulatory monocrystalline quartz grains indicates a predominance of plutonic sources. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that kaolinite is the dominant clay mineral found in clayey facies, though its moderate to low quantity indicates a more humid climate during the Albian-Cenomanian and a less humid climate during the Cenomanian. Physical alteration processes have mainly affected the studied deposits.
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spelling doaj-art-a30fb8de0d6e4ede88b949a8d668ba132025-08-20T04:02:51ZengElsevierSolid Earth Sciences2451-912X2025-09-0110310025910.1016/j.sesci.2025.100259Provenance, diagenesis, and paleoclimate of Albian-Lower Turonian deposits in the Douala sub-basin, Cameroon: Sedimentological, mineralogical, and petrographical approachesChristel Sobdjou-Kemteu0Milan Stafford Tchouatcha1Wael Fathi Galal2Soureiyatou Fadil-Djenabou3Usman Abubakar4Francis Thierry Togozo5Emmanuel Ndjeng6Department of Earth Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, P.O. Box 67, Yaoundé, Cameroon; Institute for Geological and Mining Research, B.P. 4110, Yaoundé, Cameroon; Corresponding author. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, P.O. Box 67, Yaoundé, Cameroon.Department of Earth Sciences, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, CameroonDepartment of Geology, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, 71516, EgyptDepartment of Earth Sciences, University of Maroua, P.O. Box 814, Maroua, CameroonState Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, School of Ocean and Earth Science, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China; Department of Geology, Gombe State University, Tudun Wada, P.M.B 127, Gombe, NigeriaPan African University Life and Earth Sciences Institute (Including Health and Agriculture), Ibadan, Nigeria; Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Bangui, P.O. Box: 908, Bangui, the Central African RepublicDepartment of Earth Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, P.O. Box 67, Yaoundé, CameroonThe sedimentological, mineralogical, and petrographic compositions of the Albian - Lower Turonian deposits at four sites in the northern part of the Douala sub-basin located in the heart of the Guinea Gulf were investigated to determine their provenance, paleoclimate, and diagenetic effects from thirty-eight (38) samples. Several lithologies are identified, ranging from clays/shales to silty clays, poor consolidated fine-to coarse-grained sandstones, and conglomerates to conglomeratic sandstones. The deposits are made up of successive positive sequences in the eastern part of the Mungo River and cyclic deposits in the western part. The sandstones are primarily arkose wacke, secondarily arkose, subarkose, sublith-arenite, and rare lithic arenite and wacke derived from the Neoproterozoic basement formed during the Pan-African orogenesis. The presence of heavy minerals such as tourmaline, kyanite and sillimanite indicates that the deposits originate from plutonic and metamorphic sources. The rarity of these latest in the sediments suggest the intense chemical weathering that has affected the source rocks. These deposits are mainly proximal. Additionally, the association of polycrystalline quartz with undulatory extinction and monocrystalline quartz with non-undulatory extinction suggests a mixed source. The various microstructures and morphologies of zircon grains including prismatic, sub-angular and sub-prismatic shapes further support a mixed provenance. The dominance of prismatic shape and non-undulatory monocrystalline quartz grains indicates a predominance of plutonic sources. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that kaolinite is the dominant clay mineral found in clayey facies, though its moderate to low quantity indicates a more humid climate during the Albian-Cenomanian and a less humid climate during the Cenomanian. Physical alteration processes have mainly affected the studied deposits.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451912X25000327SedimentologyPetrographyMineralogyPaleoclimateDiagenesis
spellingShingle Christel Sobdjou-Kemteu
Milan Stafford Tchouatcha
Wael Fathi Galal
Soureiyatou Fadil-Djenabou
Usman Abubakar
Francis Thierry Togozo
Emmanuel Ndjeng
Provenance, diagenesis, and paleoclimate of Albian-Lower Turonian deposits in the Douala sub-basin, Cameroon: Sedimentological, mineralogical, and petrographical approaches
Solid Earth Sciences
Sedimentology
Petrography
Mineralogy
Paleoclimate
Diagenesis
title Provenance, diagenesis, and paleoclimate of Albian-Lower Turonian deposits in the Douala sub-basin, Cameroon: Sedimentological, mineralogical, and petrographical approaches
title_full Provenance, diagenesis, and paleoclimate of Albian-Lower Turonian deposits in the Douala sub-basin, Cameroon: Sedimentological, mineralogical, and petrographical approaches
title_fullStr Provenance, diagenesis, and paleoclimate of Albian-Lower Turonian deposits in the Douala sub-basin, Cameroon: Sedimentological, mineralogical, and petrographical approaches
title_full_unstemmed Provenance, diagenesis, and paleoclimate of Albian-Lower Turonian deposits in the Douala sub-basin, Cameroon: Sedimentological, mineralogical, and petrographical approaches
title_short Provenance, diagenesis, and paleoclimate of Albian-Lower Turonian deposits in the Douala sub-basin, Cameroon: Sedimentological, mineralogical, and petrographical approaches
title_sort provenance diagenesis and paleoclimate of albian lower turonian deposits in the douala sub basin cameroon sedimentological mineralogical and petrographical approaches
topic Sedimentology
Petrography
Mineralogy
Paleoclimate
Diagenesis
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451912X25000327
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