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K/Ar Systematics of Bentonite and Shale in a Contact Metamorphic Zone, Cerrillos, New Mexico

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 April 2024

James L. Aronson  and
Mingchou Lee
James L. Aronson
Affiliation:
Department of Geological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
Mingchou Lee
Affiliation:
Department of Geological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
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Abstract

To test the ability of illitic clay minerals to retain argon, K/Ar ages were measured on grain-size separates from the Cretaceous Mancos Shale and associated bentonites that have been transformed into K-bentonite near the contact with a large Tertiary igneous stock. The ages of size separates of illite/ smectite from the K-bentonite nearest the contact were internally concordant and matched the hornblende K/Ar age of the stock. In contrast, K/Ar data from clay size fractions from shales adjacent to each K-bentonite were internally discordant with measured ages that were much greater than the age of the intrusion. Thus, significant radiogenic argon was retained by fine-grained detrital illite, even in shale samples very near the igneous contact. These results are convincing evidence that illitic clay minerals are excellent K/Ar clocks under conditions prevailing in sedimentary and diagenetic environments.

Keywords

Age datingBentoniteContact metamorphismIlliteIllite/smectiteK/Ar ages
Type
Research Article
Information
Clays and Clay Minerals , Volume 34 , Issue 4 , August 1986 , pp. 483 - 487
Copyright
Copyright © 1986, The Clay Minerals Society

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Footnotes

1

Contribution No. 158 of the Department of Geological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University.

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