CHARACTERIZATION OF THE BURLINGTON KEOKUK (MISSISSIPPIAN) THROUH HORIZONTAL VARIATION DEPENDANT ON VERTICAL GEOCHEMICAL CHANGE

The Burlington-Keokuk limestone covers about 65% of Greene County and is a mid-stage karst area. The lithology of the limestone contains horizontal bedding planes that indicate regionally expansive depositional environments that produced carbonates with similar geochemical signatures. The Burlington-Keokuk’s horizontal chemistry was studied to find similarities within the formation. Using a handheld X-Ray Fluorometer (XRF), crushed samples were analyzed for trace elements to 1) establish that variations can be found in the geology and 2) establish a method to use a handheld XRF as a quick way to locate and analyze sections of the Burlington-Keokuk in and around Greene County, Missouri. Within the parameters set above, the x-ray analysis shows that strontium levels have a marked increase vertically within Greene County’s Burlington-Keokuk limestone. This possibly indicates a change within the depositional environment of the Burlington-Keokuk.