Heavy-mineral variability in bottom sediments of the lower Chesapeake Bay,Virginia |
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| Authors: | Frances Firek GL Shideler Peter Fleischer |
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| Institution: | 1. U.S. Geological Survey, Corpus Christi, Texas 78411 U.S.A.;2. Institute of Oceanography, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Va. 23508 U.S.A. |
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| Abstract: | Heavy minerals in bottom-sediment samples of the lower Chesapeake Bay show distribution patterns and interrelationships that denote characteristic mineral suites associated with defined geographic provinces. The Baymouth province has a garnet—hornblende—pyroxene suite, which is largely attributed to the influx of littoral and shelf sediments; the Eastern Shore province has a similar suite, derived largely from coastal erosion of the Eastern Shore peninsula. The Northern and Combined River provinces have a zircon—tourmaline—staurolite assemblage, which reflects derivation from an Appalachian Piedmont—Atlantic Coastal Plain sourceland. The Western Shore province is associated with a zircon—epidote—staurolite assemblage, apparently derived jointly from tributary influx and coastal erosion of the western shore. Factor analysis identified two major factors that account for 63% of the total variation in the relative amounts of the seven most common heavy minerals. The dominant factor (44%) is based on a zircon—hornblende—staurolite—pyroxene relationship, which indicates that mineral stability, as influenced by sediment maturity, is a major contributing factor. The second factor (19%) based on a tourmaline—epidote—staurolite—garnet relationship indicates that provenance is another major cause of heavy-mineral variability within the lower bay. |
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