Geology topics

Z. Lasemi

Publications and source records attributed to Z. Lasemi.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2006

State summaries: Illinois

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Illinois ranked third in the amount of crushed stone produced from underground mining operations. In 2004, Illinois produced more than 76.5 Mt of crushed stone and 38.7 Mt of sand-and-gravel. Preliminary data for 2005 showed an increase in the production of crushed stone and a slight decrease in the production of sand-and-gravel. The state remained 16th in total value of nonfuel mineral production. In decreasing order of value, the minerals produced included crushed stone, cement, construction sand and gravel, lime, clay, peat, tripoli, industrial sand, crushed sandstone and gemstone.

Mining Engineering↗

USGS2005

Mississippian carbonate buildups and development of cool-waterlike carbonate platforms in the Illinois Basin, Midcontinent U.S.A.

Numerous biohermal buildups occur in Mississippian (Lower Carboniferous) strata in the Illinois Basin and adjacent regions. They developed as mud mounds, biodetrital calcisiltite mounds, and bryozoan frame thickets (fenestrate-frame coquina or rudstone) during the Kinderhookian and early Meramecian (Tournaisian and early Visean), and as microbial mud mounds, microbial- serpulidbryozoanboundstones, and solenoporoid (red algal) boundstones during the Chesterian (late Visean and Serpukhovian). True Waulsortian mounds did not develop in the Illinois Basin, but echinoderm (primarily crinoids)-bryozoan carbonate banks and bryozoan frame thickets generally occupied the same niche during the Kinderhookian-early Meramecian. Nutrient availability and the resulting increase in the productivity of echinoderms and bryozoans were apparently detrimental to Waulsortian mound development. Deposition of crinoidal-bryozoan carbonates during the Kinderhookian-Osagean initially occurred on a ramp setting that later evolved into a platform with a relatively steep margin through sediment aggradation and progradation. By mid-Osagean-early Meramecian, two such platforms, namely the Burlington Shelf and the Ullin Platform, developed adjacent to a deep, initially starved basin. Sedimentologic and petrographic characteristics of the Kinderhookian-earliest Meramecian carbonates resemble the modern cool-water Heterozoan Association. This is in contrast with post-earliest Meramecian carbonates, which are typically oolitic and peloidal with common peri tidal facies. The post-earliest Meramecian carbonates, therefore, resemble those of the warm-water Photozoan Association. The prevalence of Heterozoan carbonates in the Illinois Basin correlates with a rapid increase in the rate of subsidence and a major second-order eustatic sea-level rise that resulted in deep-water starved basins at this time. In the starved Illinois Basin, deposition was initially limited to a thin phosphatic shale that was followed later by deposition of up to 200 m of siliceous, spiculitic, and radiolarianbearing limestone. The starved basin was connected to the deep open ocean through a bathymetric depression, which was centered over the failed late Precambrian-Early Cambrian Reelfoot Rift, which extended from the deep-water Ouachita Trough in central Arkansas to southern Illinois, approximately parallel to the trend of the modern Mississippi River. We believe that upwelling of cool, nutrient- and silica-rich deep oceanic water, which entered the basin through this bathymetric depression, resulted in proliferation of pelmatozoans and bryozoans. The subsequent change from cool-water-like carbonates to warm-water-like carbonates appears to be related to decreased subsidence and gradual shallowing of the basin.

Illinois↗

USGS1999

Depositional facies and sequence stratigraphy of a Lower Carboniferous bryozoan-crinoidal carbonate ramp in the Illinois Basin, mid-continent USA

The Lower Carboniferous Fort Payne and Ullin Formations in the Illinois Basin form the transgressive and highstand systems tracts that were deposited in a carbonate ramp setting. During deposition of the Ullin Limestone, biotic communities dominated by fenestrate bryozoans and echinoderms (primarily crinoids) proliferated, possibly in response to global tectonic, biological, and oceanographic events that affected bathymetry and nutrient supply. The Fort Payne Formation consists of a dark grey-brown, siliceous and argillaceous lime mudstone in the lower part (transgressive systems tract) and a very fine-grained wackestone to packstone with rare mud mounds in the upper part (early highstand), and was deposited in an outer ramp to basinal environment. During deposition of the lower Ullin Limestone (mostly early highstand), bryozoan-crinoidal build-ups accreted both laterally and vertically into several relatively large carbonate banks, which were partly surrounded by siliceous Fort Payne sea. Bryozoans (primarily fenestrates) were especially prevalent during the late stage of bank development and formed mud-free bioherms up to 120 m thick. In places, carbonate mud mounds also formed during the early stage of bank deposition. Bioherm development declined during deposition of the upper Ullin Limestone (late highstand), and a broad, storm-dominated carbonate ramp was established that became the site for widespread deposition of bryozoan-crinoidal sandwaves. Gradual shallowing led to ooid formation at the end of Ullin deposition. This sequence was terminated by a relative rise in sea level that resulted in deposition of the transgressive facies of the lower part of the overlying Salem Limestone. The depositional style and the nature of skeletal material of the Fort Payne and Ullin Formations are similar to those of cool-water carbonates. A deep-water setting along with upwelling of cool, nutrient-rich oceanic waters may have been responsible for the proliferation of bryozoans and crinoids at this time. The deep-water setting and abundant nutrient supply also may have restricted the formation of ooids and proliferation of shallow-water calcareous organisms.

Geological Society Special Publication↗