10.57647/j.ijes.2025.16975

Provenance and Depositional Environments of the Paleocene Kerman Formation in Central Iran

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  • Seyyedeh Halimeh Hashemi Azizi*1,
  • Payman Rezaee2,
  • Hosein Askari2,
  1. Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
  2. Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran

Received: 2024-08-31

Revised: 2024-10-19

Accepted: 2024-10-25

Published 2025-07-05

Copyright (c) -1 Seyyedeh Halimeh Hashemi Azizi, Payman Rezaee, Hosein Askari (Author)

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Hashemi Azizi, S. H., Rezaee, P., & Askari, H. (2025). Provenance and Depositional Environments of the Paleocene Kerman Formation in Central Iran. Iranian Journal of Earth Sciences. https://doi.org/10.57647/j.ijes.2025.16975
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Abstract

This paper discussed the depositional environment and provenance analysis of the siliciclastic rocks of the Kerman Formation for the first time. To determine the Kerman Formation’s depositional environment and provenance sedimentological, petrographic, and geochemical investigations have been conducted accordingly. The Kerman Formation (~1017 m-thick), lithologically consisting of massive polymictic conglomerates interbedded with some minor sandstone layers, is well-exposed in NE Central Iran. Through detailed sedimentological studies, six lithofacies were recognized: matrix-supported massive conglomerate, matrix-supported conglomerate, clast-supported massive conglomerate, clast-supported crudely bedded conglomerate, horizontal bedded coarse to fine-grained sandstone, and massive coarse to fine-grained sandstone. The lithofacies associations of Gmm, Gmg, Gcm, and Sm are related to sedimentary gravity flow architectural elements and the lithofacies associations of Gh and Sh are related to channel-fill sandstone bodies architectural elements deposited in alluvial fan and braided fluvial systems. Petrographically, the Kerman Formation’s conglomerate is categorized as a petromict conglomerate, and the sandstone is divided into volcanic arenite and feldspathic litharenite petrofacies. Gravels are made up mainly of basalt and andesite, as well as fewer limestone and agglomerated tuff. The sandstone plot on the QtFRF suggests that the sandstone of the Kerman Formation derived from volcanic lithic fragments. Geochemical analysis indicates a volcanic arc source area in an active margin tectonic setting, which can relate to the Sabzevar oceanic closure (a branch of Neotethys) volcanic activities. Low values of the Chemical Index of Alteration suggest cool and arid climate conditions alongside a near absence of intense alteration and recycled materials.

Keywords

  • Bardaskan,
  • Fluvial architecture,
  • Geochemistry,
  • Paleogene,
  • Terrestrial environment
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