K-Ar dating, x-Ray diffractometry, optical and scanning electron microscopy of glauconies from the early Cretaceous Kurnub Group of Jordan

The glaucony of the early Cretaceous Kurnub Group in Jordan has been isotopically dated using the K-Ar method. The glaucony occurs in an arenaceous dolomite unit, referred to here to as glaucony marker unit (GMU), located in the upper part of the Kurnub Group, that persists throughout Jordan. The glaucoliths of the heavy fraction are dark green in colour, ovoidal or mammilated, with a mainly cracked smooth surface, whereas the light fraction glaucoliths are light green in colour, irregular in shape and have a rough or porous surface. Both fractions exhibit boxwork and rosette microstructure, whereas lamellar microstructure is restricted to the heavy glaucoliths. X-ray diffraction and chemical analysis placed the glauconies of the GMU of the Kurnub Group in Odin and Matter's evolved to highly evolved class corresponding to glauconitic mica and suggested that they should be well-closed chronometers. On the other hand, petrographic investigation proved these glauconies to be unaltered, whereas the other altered ones are discarded from the age determination. The unweathered, highly evolved, heavy glauconies that are neither tectonized nor deeply buried best fulfil recommendations regarding appropriate samples for K-Ar dating. The apparent age constrained, within the analytical uncertainty limits, from the most evolved glaucony is 96.1 +/- 1.1 Ma and suggests that the GMU is of Albian age. The other less evolved glauconies, which are still within the evolved to highly evolved class of Odin and Matter, yield a mean apparent age of 93.6 +/- 1.0 Ma, which is probably slightly younger than the true depositional age by 2-3 Ma due to genetic and historical uncertainties, as indicated by the petrographic and sedimentological data. Thus the upper part of the Kurnub Group, where the GMU is located, is of Albian age. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.