Transition between the Thabsila metamorphic complex and the Lower Paleozoic  formations and their sandstone provenance, Kanchanaburi, western Thailand

Sirot  Salyapongse; Praipada  Santadgarn; Panus Hong; Suwijai  Jatupornkongchai; Ekkachak Chandon; Prinya Putthapiban

Authors

Sirot Salyapongse Geoscience Program, School of Interdisciplinary Studies, Mahidol University, Kanchanaburi Campus
Praipada Santadgarn Geoscience Program, School of Interdisciplinary Studies, Mahidol University, Kanchanaburi Campus
Panus Hong Geoscience Program, School of Interdisciplinary Studies, Mahidol University, Kanchanaburi Campus
Suwijai Jatupornkongchai Geoscience Program, School of Interdisciplinary Studies, Mahidol University, Kanchanaburi Campus
Ekkachak Chandon Geoscience Program, School of Interdisciplinary Studies, Mahidol University, Kanchanaburi Campus
Prinya Putthapiban Geoscience Program, School of Interdisciplinary Studies, Mahidol University, Kanchanaburi Campus

Keywords:

Cambrian, Ordovician, regional metamorphism, sandstone provenance

Abstract

In Kanchanaburi province of western Thailand, the oldest three rock units include the Thabsila regional metamorphic complex exposed side by side with the Cambrian Chao Nen and the Ordovician Tha Manao formations, possessing field relation, petrography and geochemistry strongly suggesting a transitional relationship. The latter two rock formations are equivalent to the Cambrian Tarutao Group and the Ordovician Thung Song Group from southern Thailand. They are characterized by alternating lithofacies of argillites, siliciclastics and carbonates. The gradational nature among them both in lithology and grade of metamorphism with only a single mode of foliation development indicates one episode of progressive regional metamorphism. Modal compositions of the Upper Thabsila and the Chao Nen meta-siliciclastic sandstones show them as original quartz arenite and subarkose to arkosic
sandstones. Their provenances was from a continental block setting. The chemical discrimination diagrams indicate they have been deposited in a passive continental margin environment and have an asymmetrically cyclic sedimentation habit. This evidence implies that there is no unconformity between the Thabsila complex and the Lower Paleozoic formations. Although this terrain was subjected to a series of northwest dextral strike-slip fault movement, their gradational nature in grades of metamorphism is, in part of some sections, still preserved. Their sharing of the same provenance and the tectonic setting show that they were continuously deposited throughout the long history of the Shan-Thai terrane (up to as young as around Carboniferous, the timing of tectonically uplifting by the incoming of volcanism to this terrane). The underlying older Precambrian basement, the source rock of the Thabsila complex have never been observed. Probably have been re-melted to the common foliated Triassic S-type granite in western Thailand.

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