Petrography and Geochemistry of Kinta Valley Palaeozoic Carbonate Rock

Abstract

Petrographical and geochemical analyses of carbonates rocks collected from four different quarries around the Simpang Pulai areas were studied to determine the provenance and hydrothermal setting of the source region. Geologically, the selective quarries are predominantly underlain by the Kinta Limestone Formation. Locally, limestone at the quarry site predominantly made up of massive and thin bedded varieties, greyish white and with black carbonaceous patches/spots, fined grained limestone, frequently and in places intercalated or associated with carbonaceous shale or phyllite. Massive, of about few centimetres to 4 m thick, cream to pinkish white coloured, fined grained dolomite have been encountered running across the central part of the quarry are in N-S direction adjoining most of quarries. The carbonate rocks were analysed by performing microscopic study, mineralogical analysis of XRD and chemical analysis of XRF. The colour present by the carbonate rocks (limestone, dolomite, and marble) depends on its composition. White, semi-white, light-grey and beige colours can be attributed either to pure calcite or dolomite. All carbonate samples exhibit limited existence of major elements except for Ca and Mg. The particular characteristics of each rock depend highly upon the type of minerals present, their composition, grain size, and their geochemistry. Moreover, the integration of petrographic and geochemistry studies can lead to much better understanding on different secondary processes, including dissolution, karstification and dolomization.