GEOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF SANDSTONES, UPPER SCOTLAND FORMATION (EOCENE), NE BARBADOS: CLUES TO PROVENANCE

The exposed Upper Scotland Formation of northeast Barbados(Eocene) consists mainly of sandstones alternating with sandy shales, mudstones, and thin kaolinitic beds. Samples were collected from the sandstone units and were processed for textural, heavy mineral,bulk chemical and trace element investigations to precisely document the source region and relate it to the paleotectonic setting. Heavy mineral assemblages reflect a diverse suite including mixed ultrastable and unstable components. High ZTR index coupled with the presence of kyanite, corundum, augite,and blue-green hornblende indicate a high-rank metamorphic and intermediate volcanic source terrain for sediment contribution to the upper Scotland Formation. Distrubitions of mobile (Ba,Rb,& Sr) and immobile traces (Zr,Ti,Cr,& Ni) also show a definite pattern within the investigated samples and reflect post burial changes of the Upper Scotland sandstones. The Highland (Northwestern Venezuealan Shield), located south of this investigated area, apparently acted as the source area for the Upper Scotland sandstones. The Andean Orogenic event subsequently deformed the Upper Scotland Formation.