Mysterious nodules found on the Sinemurian limestones of the Tunežice quarry (Manín Unit, Peri-Klippen Zone, Slovakia)
Keywords:
pseudofossils, gypsum, zircon, drilling techniques, drill mudAbstract
Tunežice quarry exposes Sinemurian sandy limestones of the Manín Unit. The limestones are known for their selectively silicified fossils, mainly the oyster Liogryphaea arcuata. Recently ochre-coloured nodules have been found in the quarry, resembling fossils of sessile organisms. They were considered to be stromatoporoids, or rather columnar chaetetids due to their radial fibrous structure. The material of the nodules was firstly supposed to be also siliceous. However, there it is also a similarity to fibrous gypsum. To check this possibility, the material was treated with hydrochloric acid. After drying up, typical newly formed needles often arranged in an echinoid-like manner were revealed which is a typical indicator of gypsum. The insoluble residuum contained a silty admixture composed exclusively of zircon grains, which indicates that the studied material is an artefact which originated likely during drilling in the quarry. Gypsum drill mud is used in some special drilling methods; zircon is utilized as an abrasive material. Thin-section analysis showed perfectly crystallized gypsum fibres with evenly dispersed zircon which indicates that the silt was stirred before the material solidified. The fibrous gypsum is penetrated by thin veinlets of clear blocky calcite, indicating some longer time span of crystallization (perhaps several years).Downloads
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