PROVENANCE OF THE EOCENE PANAS FORMATION SANDSTONES

IN SOUTHERN PALAWAN FROM PETROGRAPHY AND REE GEOCHEMISTRY

A thesis proposal by
ANTONIO LORENZO M. MEDINA
2010-13143 | BS Geology

Introduction
Provenance studies of the Southern Palawan clastic rocks are significant in
reconstructions of a detailed geologic history of Palawan and other areas whose geology is
in close association to the Palawan Continental Block (PCB) such as Panay, Romblon and
Northern Borneo. Tectonic and geophysical investigations on the tectonic evolution of
Palawan showed that the PCB was once part of Mainland Asia until it was rifted away as a
result of the Cenozoic opening of the South China Sea (Aurelio et al., 2013; Yan et al., 2014;
Liu et al., 2014; Taguibao, 2014; Yumul et al., 2009; Almasco, 2000; Holloway, 1985; Taylor
& Hayes, 1983). The geology of Palawan should then reflect the continental affinity of its
terrane. However, with the exception of studies on the Palawan Ophiolite (Claveria, 1989),
available geological, petrographic and geochemical data on the study area are limited. This
study aims to use standard petrographic methods to determine the provenance type and
tectonic setting of the Eocene Panas Formation sandstones in Southern Palawan and
delineate their source area from rare-earth element patterns. The study area which covers
the towns of Bataraza and Rizal in Southern Palawan is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Map of Palawan showing political boundaries of its towns. The study area is boxed in the
map.

The Panas Formation was defined by Pea (2008) as an indurated turbiditic

sequence of thinly bedded alterations of sandstone, siltstone and shale. Thin to very thick
lenticular beds of grey arkose alternating with very thin to thick intervals of mudstone and
bituminous siltstone with minor conglomerate and limestone beds characterized the lithology
of the formation (Wolfart et al, 1985). The Palawan Ophiolite, which dominates south and
central Palawan, are emplaced over these syn-rift Eocene turbidites along thrust structures
(Aurelio et al, 2014; Aurelio, 1996).

Aside from studies of mineralization prospects of the area attributed to its ophiolitic
terrane (Santos, 1997; Santiago & Peralta, 1985; Cabrera, 1985; Cabrera, 1984; Bautista,
1970) focusing mainly on nickel laterite deposits, other researches on the southern
Palawans geologic resources have been made. In southeastern Palawan, a hydrogeologic
study by Ong (2001) identified the Abo-abo coastal plain to be a naturally saline groundwater
system which the author divided into different hydrogeologic units based on permeability and
into different water types based on composition.

Nearby areas to the PCB have also been fairly studied mainly for their potential in
constraining the effect of the collision of PCB to PMB. Clastic rocks in these areas were
studied to delineate their source area which were found to be highly related to Palawan.
These provenance studies are reviewed subsequently in this section.

Northwestern Panay is also thought to be derived from mainland Asia and is part of
the Palawan microcontinental block serving as a collision marker (Yumul et al., 2013;
Zamoras et al., 2008). Clastic sequences in NW Panay were analyzed by Gabo et al. (2009)
for their whole-rock geochemistry revealing that the clastic rocks from the Saboncogon
Formation of the Buruanga Peninsula had a continental margin tectonic affinity forming part
of the PCB based on combined major and trace element data indicating a silicic source.

Studies on the sandstones of the Crocker Fan in Northern Borneo by van Hattum et
al. (2013) suggested that the lowest Tajau Sandstone Member of the Lower Miocene Kudat
Formation was derived from fresh granitic and high-grade metamorphic rocks from a nearby
Palawan source with geochronology support from detrital zircon ages of mostly Jurassic to
Cretaceous. Suggate et al. (2014) also reported similar medium- to high-grade metamorphic
minerals found in the Tajau sandstones to those in the Neogene SPT sandstones.

Petrographic and geochemical analysis of Eocene sandstones of the Babuyan River

Turbidites in Central Palawan by Suzuki et al. (2000) suggested a South China margin
(Yanshan and Guangdong areas) provenance for these sandstones. Petrographic data
showed the detrital composition of these sandstones to consist of quartz, feldspar and acidic
volcanic fragments. Selected sandstone samples were studied for their bulk-rock
geochemistry by Suzuki et al. (2000a) through X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and were found to
be associated with continental island arc and dissected island arc terranes based on the
Kiminami discrimination diagram (Kiminami et al., 1992). Central and southern Palawan are
considered to be geologically similar (Pea, 2008) and thus it is suspected that the
sandstones from the Panas Formation will have similar detrital composition to central
Palawan sandstones.

Heavy mineral analysis of sandstones from the Southern Palawan Terrane (SPT)
pointed to various probable source rocks including the North Palawan Terrane
metasediments, metamorphic rocks near the Ulugan Bay Fault, rift-related volcanic and/or
minor intrusive rocks of the South China Sea (SCS) margin, and the Palawan Ophiolite
Complex (Suggate et al., 2014). The detrital modes and SCS margin provenance of the SPT
sandstones are consistent with the analysis by Suzuki et al. (2000) for the Eocene
sandstones in Central Palawan.

Most of the supporting data that exist on the South China margin provenance of the
Southern Palawan sandstones rely on geophysical and petrographic interpretation of the

rifting of the South China Sea which separated the PMB from mainland Asia. In the
geochemical studies available, rare earth element (REE) analysis is routinely employed
although its use as a provenance tool is fairly uncommon in the past. South China margin
volcanic rocks have available REE data from published works by Jianfeng (1991), Li et al.
(2014) and Chen et al. (2012). REE data for nearby areas however are less accessible
although Gabo et al. (2009) and Suzuki et al. (2000a) worked on the geochemistry of clastic
units in NW Panay and central Palawan, respectively. REE data for the Panas sandstones
are not available and will be obtained in this study.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM AND OBJECTIVES
A. Statement of the Problem
What is the provenance of the sandstones of the Eocene Panas Formation in
Southern Palawan?
B. Objectives
The objectives of the study are enumerated below:
-

To delineate the source areas which contributed to the sedimentation of the Eocene
Panas Formation from petrographic and REE pattern analyses

To highlight the role of REE fractionation in tracing sediment provenance

To propose constraints and implications on the tectonic evolution of Southern

Palawan and other geologically associated areas based on the provenance of the
Panas sandstones

Conceptual Framework

Figure 2. Conceptual framework diagram of the study.

The mineralogy (detrital modes) of sandstones may indicate both provenance type
and tectonic setting of the depositional basin from data obtained in petrography. In
provenance studies by petrographic analysis, rock fragment compositions may reveal the
type of rocks the sedimentary rock is derived from and some of them are closely associated
with high concentrations of REEs. Due to the distinct behavior of REEs to concentrate and
transport in particulate form with the influence of sedimentary processes, REE geochemistry
has become essential in provenance studies. The nature of fractionation of HREEs and
LREEs reflect the type of source area of sediment derivation.

Methodology
The samples for petrographic analysis will be collected from the sandstones beds of
the Panas Formation. Each thin section will be point counted using the Gazzi-Dickinson
method. The Gazzi-Dickinson (1970) method is employed to minimize compositional
dependence on grain size and to be able to compare sandstones of different grain sizes. A
minimum of 500 points will be selected for the point counting. Using the detrital composition
of the sandstones, they may be identified using Okada (1970)s QFR plot, and their
provenance type may be defined based on their QmFLt plot using Dickinsons model. The
rock fragments present in the sandstones shall be identified and investigated for their heavy
minerals which may indicate enrichment of certain REEs depending on the heavy minerals
present.

Figure 3. Practical framework showing all the activities that will be employed in the study.

The sandstone samples will be analyzed for their REE geochemistry by performing
inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Correlation of chondritenormalized REE distribution patterns from the Panas sandstones with volcanic rocks from
nearby areas will indicate the most dominant source area to the sedimentation of the Panas
Formation.

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