Detrital modes of the Pyeongan Supergroup (Late Carboniferous–Early Triassic) sandstones in the Samcheog coalfield, Korea: implications for provenance and tectonic setting
Abstract Medium to coarse sandstones of the Carboniferous to Early Triassic Pyeongan Supergroup in the Samcheog coalfield, Korea, were studied to infer the provenance and tectonic settings of the source areas. Sandstone detrital modes change upwards stratigraphically. Sandstone types from the Manhang to Dosagog formations low to middle in the sequence are quartzarenite, and sublitharenite to litharenite, whereas sandstones of the Gohan and Donggo formations high in the sequence are feldspathic litharenite and arkose, respectively. Using various ternary diagrams, the provenance of the Manhang to Gohan formations is suggested to be a recycled orogen setting. Some Gohan Formation sandstones plot within the arc-related setting field, and the Donggo Formation sandstones plot within both continental block and recycled orogen fields. Results of quartz grain petrography are consistent with those of detrital modes. Quartz in sandstones of all units except the Donggo Formation indicates derivation from low-rank metamorphic sources. Quartz in Donggo sandstones was derived from medium- to high-rank metamorphic and plutonic source rocks. Considering the sandstone composition and palaeocurrent data, the Pyeongan Supergroup probably was deposited in a molasse foreland basin and was derived from a synbasinal orogenic belt, probably the Akiyoshi orogen located in southwest Japan.