Petrology of continental pyroclastic and epiclastic sequencesin the Chubut Group (Cretaceous): Los Altares-Las Plumas area, Chubut, Patagonia Argentina

Abstract

The volcaniclastic successions of the Cerro Barcino Formation (Chubut Group), of Aptian-Cenomanian age, crop out on both margins of the Chubut River with a thickness of 200 m. The Middle Member Cerro Castaño (syneruptive, 90 m) and the Upper Member, Las Plumas (intereruptive, 110 m) are described on the basis of photogeological mapping, sections, and mineralogical, petrographical and geochemical analysis. Paleocurrents are directed to the northeast (Cerro Castaño) or north (Las Plumas). An erosive boundary, located at the base of the Las Plumas Member, is reported for the first time in this contribution The pyroclastic rocks are composed, of planar, curviplanar, branching, Y-shaped shards and fibrous pumice fragments. The volcanogenic sedimentary deposits also include, vitric fragments with hematitic pigmentation (Las Plumas). Due to diagenetic processes, the glass fragments are replaced by clay minerals (smectites and scarce illite) and zeolites which also appear as cementing material. Within the Cerro Castaño Member, analcime prevails assembled with less clinoptilolite, while in the Las Plumas Member, the abundant clinoptilolite is assembled with scarce analcime and mordenite. Pyroclastic sediments (ash-fall) covered extended flat or slightly undulated plains, where discrete sandy rivers flowed. The presence of gravels and sandstones at the base of the Las Plumas Member and wide and shallow braided river channels are associated to tectonic events and seasonability. Eruptions were highly explosive derived from viscous and volatile-rich magmas. The abundance of fine planar and cuspate shards in the tuff suggest that the explosive center was located approximately 500 km probably to the west.