%0 Journal Article
%T Facies Analysis and Depositional Environments of the Late Palaeozoic Coal-Bearing Madzaringwe Formation in the Tshipise-Pafuri Basin, South Africa
%A Ntokozo Malaza
%A Kuiwu Liu
%A Baojin Zhao
%J ISRN Geology
%D 2013
%R 10.1155/2013/120380
%X The late Palaeozoic coal-bearing Madzaringwe Formation of the Karoo Supergroup in the Tshipise-Pafuri Basin in the Limpopo Province, South Africa, records part of the infill of a passive continental margin terrain. Lithofacies analysis was performed with a view to deduce the nature of depositional environments of the Formation. Sedimentological and sequence stratigraphic evidence indicates that this unit represents a complex siliciclastic facies that reflects a fluvial paleodepositional environment. Eleven facies, which were grouped into five facies associations, were recognised. The base of the Madzaringwe Formation (Lower Member) represents a sequence deposited by braided channels. The coal deposits represent flood plain and swamp deposits, which is characterised by shale, thick coal seams, siltstone, and sandstone. The Middle Member is characterised by both clast and matrix supported conglomerates, major tubular and lenticular sandstones, and finely calcareous, micaceous siltstone. The deposition represents a sequence being formed from fluvial and particularly braided channels. The crudely stratified, coarse to pebbly sandstone indicates channel lag deposits within a heavy loaded fluvial system. The fine-grained sandstone represents deposition by shift channel and side bar deposits during lower flow conditions. The Upper Member is characterised by facies associations similar to the Lower Member, representing a new depositional cyclothem. 1. Introduction The Madzaringwe Formation is a coal-bearing sequence of the late Palaeozoic Karoo Supergroup in the Tshipise-Pafuri Basin in the Limpopo Province, South Africa (Figure 1). It overlies the diamictite Tshidzi Formation. Although the Madzaringwe Formation represents one of the coal-bearing late Palaeozoic units of the Karoo Supergroup, no detailed facies analysis has been presented yet and only a few papers have dealt with paleoenvironmental aspects [1¨C4]. The Madzaringwe Formation is approximately 220£¿m thick and constitutes two main coal seams. The lower seam, 2.5£¿m in thickness, forms the bottom part of the composite unit directly above the diamictite [4] while the upper main seam is about 3.5£¿m thick and consists of up to nine coal bands separated by carbonaceous shale. The Mikambeni Formation is a fluvial origin [1]. Development of a more precise depositional model for this unit will provide valuable insights into basin evolution and role of syndepositional tectonism. The purpose of this study is to describe and interpret the facies and depositional environments of the poorly understood Madzaringwe
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.geology/2013/120380/