The geochemistry and provenance of Aghajari sandstones in Khouzestan Province

The Aghajari formation alternates sandstone، marl، and siltstones with gypsum veins. The formation is a wide outcrop in the southern and southwestern parts of Iran، and dates from the Miocene to Pliocene. However، very little information is available on the nature of the genesis of this formation. In this study، petrographical properties and major element geochemistry of sandstones from the formation in Khuzestan province were performed to identify the provenance and tectonic setting of these rocks. Petrographic examinations of 29 sandstone samples revealed that these sandstones are calclithites and volcarenites. Five of the studied rocks samples are grain-supported. One sample has gypsum cement، and the others have calcite cement. Moreover، discriminant plots showed that the provenance of the sandstones is sedimentary quartz that is derived from recycled orogeny. The major element geochemistry analysis demonstrated that the chemical compositions of the rocks are litharenite، ferrous sandstones، as well as greywacke. Moreover، projecting the major element geochemistry data on tectonic setting discrimination plots indicated that the sandstones had been deposited in an active continental margin.