Ocorrências de minerais pesados na plataforma continental interna/média oeste do Ceará

Abstract

This study embraces the west continental shelf of Ceará (147 samples of marine sediments) and two fluvial courses (4 sediment samples of Curu and São Gonçalo rivers) to determine heavy minerals distribution with their possible provenances and economic potential. Sedimentary facies on the continental shelf were distinguished through the particle size and calcium carbonate content. Heavy minerals were investigated for their total content (%), relative abundance (%) of each mineral species, concentration in Kg/ton of predominant species, mineralogical index (RZi and ZRT) and grains imaging by SEM-EDS. In geoprocessing obtained the spatial distribution of data by Arcgis 10.1 and Surfer 10 got informations about bottom morphology of the continental. Multivariate analysis were included using Statistica 7.0 to aid in the interpretation of results. Heavy minerals were concentrated in Fortaleza chart (contents reached to 4.54%) at depths until 20 m in the litoclastic and litobioclastic sands. Among the 18 mineral species identified, ilmenite and tourmaline were embracing most of the continental shelf and with epidote and monazite presented content > 1 Kg/ton near São Gongaço do Amarante coast. Paleochannels and ancient beach-ridge were identified. The occurrence of typical regional metamorphic mineral paragenesis of rocks rich in aluminum suggests the provenance of Ceará Complex rocks (primary source) that occur both near the coast and outcrops directly on the continental shelf. Reworked sediments of Barreiras Formation, beach black sands and longshore drift sediments (secondary sources) contribute regionally in heavy mineral supply.Curu river influences ilmenite, tourmaline and epidote supply. Multivariate analyzes and RZi/ZTR variations corroborated with the dual nature provenance (primary and secondary) of the continental shelf sediments and expose a mixture of recente sediments with older reworked ones.