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<p>This study investigates the textural, mineralogical, geochemical, and geochronological characteristics of the beach and deep-sea sediments from the Gulf of Mexico, with an aim of determining their paleoenvironmental conditions and provenance. Conventional techniques including sieving, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and detrital zircon U–Pb dating, were used to identify compositional differences between beach and deep-sea sediments. Textural parameters revealed a well-sorted high-energy condition for the beach sediments and a poorly sorted, low-energy condition for the deep-sea sediments, indicating slow sedimentation with episodic coarse-particle input into the deep-sea area. The mineralogical and geochemical compositions of the beach sediments reflect a high degree of maturity, with quartz dominance, alkali depletion, and enrichment in MnO, MgO, and CaO, derived mainly from reworked felsic continental sources and from local contributions from nearby igneous rocks. In contrast, the deep-sea sediments exhibit a combination of intermediate to felsic-source rocks, lower maturity, and the presence of altered minerals (kaolinite, montmorillonite, mica), as well as evidence of marine diagenetic processes. Zircon microtextures record the combined effects of surface processes, such as mechanical abrasion, dissolution, and precipitation, associated with the coastal environment and prolonged transport to the deep-sea environment. U–Pb geochronology of zircons reveals predominantly Mesozoic and Cenozoic ages (1.8–100&#xa0;Ma), consistent with contributions from the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, the Eastern Alkaline Province, and the Central Mexican Plateau, as well as inherited input from the Sierra Madre Oriental. Overall, the results indicate a mixed provenance involving both continental and volcanic sources. These findings enhance the understanding of coast–ocean connectivity and sedimentary processes along the continental margin and provide a transferable methodological framework applicable to provenance analysis, regional geology, environmental and exploration studies.</p>

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Provenance of beach and deep-sea sediments in the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月6日

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  • Cesia J. Cruz-Ramírez,
  • Ana C. Zavala-León,
  • John S. Armstrong-Altrin,
  • Mayla A. Ramos-Vázquez,
  • Armel Zacharie Ekoa Bessa

摘要

This study investigates the textural, mineralogical, geochemical, and geochronological characteristics of the beach and deep-sea sediments from the Gulf of Mexico, with an aim of determining their paleoenvironmental conditions and provenance. Conventional techniques including sieving, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and detrital zircon U–Pb dating, were used to identify compositional differences between beach and deep-sea sediments. Textural parameters revealed a well-sorted high-energy condition for the beach sediments and a poorly sorted, low-energy condition for the deep-sea sediments, indicating slow sedimentation with episodic coarse-particle input into the deep-sea area. The mineralogical and geochemical compositions of the beach sediments reflect a high degree of maturity, with quartz dominance, alkali depletion, and enrichment in MnO, MgO, and CaO, derived mainly from reworked felsic continental sources and from local contributions from nearby igneous rocks. In contrast, the deep-sea sediments exhibit a combination of intermediate to felsic-source rocks, lower maturity, and the presence of altered minerals (kaolinite, montmorillonite, mica), as well as evidence of marine diagenetic processes. Zircon microtextures record the combined effects of surface processes, such as mechanical abrasion, dissolution, and precipitation, associated with the coastal environment and prolonged transport to the deep-sea environment. U–Pb geochronology of zircons reveals predominantly Mesozoic and Cenozoic ages (1.8–100 Ma), consistent with contributions from the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, the Eastern Alkaline Province, and the Central Mexican Plateau, as well as inherited input from the Sierra Madre Oriental. Overall, the results indicate a mixed provenance involving both continental and volcanic sources. These findings enhance the understanding of coast–ocean connectivity and sedimentary processes along the continental margin and provide a transferable methodological framework applicable to provenance analysis, regional geology, environmental and exploration studies.