Sains Malaysiana 50(2)(2021): 301-313

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2021-5002-03

A Deep Marine Origin for the Tajau Sandstone Member of the Kudat Formation, Kudat Peninsula, Sabah: Evidence from Facies Analysis and Ichnology

(Asalan Laut Dalam bagi Ahli Batu Pasir Tajau dalam Formasi Kudat, Semenanjung Kudat, Sabah: Bukti daripada Analisis Fasies dan Iknologi)

HAFZAN EVA MANSOR^1,2*, MEOR HAKIF AMIR HASSAN¹ & JUNAIDI ASIS³

¹Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Jalan Universiti, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia

²Department of Geoscience, Faculty of Earth Science, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, 17600 Jeli, Kelantan Darul Naim, Malaysia

³Geology Programme, Faculty of Science and Natural Resources, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

Diserahkan: 19 Mac 2020/Diterima: 2 Ogos 2020

ABSTRACT

There have been many disagreements regarding the depositional environment of the Oligocene Tajau Sandstone Member of the Kudat Formation, Northern Sabah. We present here, the first detailed sedimentary facies analysis for the Tajau Sandstone Member, exposed on the Kudat Peninsula. The identified facies are interpreted as the deposits of subaqueous sediment density flows, which are common processes in deep marine depositional settings. These include debrites, hyperconcentrated density flow deposits, and turbidites. Several of the turbidite facies display evidence for hydraulic jumps, which are also common processes in deepwater settings and probably indicate changes in slope topography or loss of flow confinement. Trace fossils characteristic of the Nereites ichnofacies are also diagnostic of a deep marine depositional environment. Facies previously identified by previous workers as hummocky cross-stratification in the Tajau Sandstone Member, which was used to support a shallow marine interpretation, is better interpreted as supercritical antidunes developed in high density turbidites, based on the coarse-grained texture, spaced layering and association with other subaqeuoues density flow deposits.

Keywords: Deep water facies; Tajau Sandstone Member; Kudat Formation

ABSTRAK

Terdapat banyak perselisihan pandangan mengenai persekitaran pengenapan ahli Batu Pasir Tajau, Formasi Kudat, di utara Sabah, yang berumur Oligosen. Di sini, kami membentangkan analisis fasies sedimen terperinci yang pertama untuk Ahli Batu Pasir Tajau, yang tersingkap di Semenanjung Kudat. Fasies yang dikenal pasti ditafsirkan sebagai enapan aliran ketumpatan sedimen bawah air, yang merupakan proses yang biasa berlaku dalam persekitaran laut dalam. Ini termasuk enapan debrit, aliran tumpat hiperkepadatan dan turbidit. Beberapa fasies turbidit menunjukkan bukti berlakunya proses lonjakan hidraulik yang merupakan proses yang biasa berlaku di sekitaran laut dalam dan mungkin menandakan perubahan topografi cerun atau kehilangan kekangan aliran. Kehadiran fosil surih daripada iknofasiesNereites juga adalah penentu untuk persekitaran laut dalam. Fasies dalam Ahli Batu Pasir Tajau yang sebelum ini dikenal pasti oleh penyelidik terdahulu sebagai perlapisan silang membusut dan digunakan untuk menyokong tafsiran pemendapan di sekitaran marin cetek, lebih sesuai ditafsirkan sebagai antigumuk supergenting yang terbentuk dalam turbidit berketumpatan tinggi. Ini berdasarkan teksturnya yang berbutir kasar, kehadiran pelapisan berjarak dan asosiasinya dengan enapan aliran ketumpatan bawah air yang lain.

Kata kunci: Ahli Batu Pasir Tajau; fasies laut dalam; Formasi Kudat

RUJUKAN

Ahmad, R.R., Zainey, K., Junaidi, A., Nursyazwani, A.J., Abdul, J.M., Norazhar, I., Munif, K., Razali, C.K., Hisham, M. & Tjia, H.D. 2017. Tectonostratigraphic terranes of Kudat Peninsula, Sabah. Bulletin of the Geological Society Malaysia 64: 123-139.

Alexander, J., Bridge, J.S., Cheel, R.J. & Leclair, S.F. 2001. Bedforms and associated sedimentary structures formed under water flows over aggrading sand beds. Sedimentology 48(1): 133-152.

Ashley, G.M. 1990. Classification of large-scale subaqueous bedforms: A new look at an old problem. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology 60(1): 160-172.

Baas, J.H. 1994. A flume study on the development and equilibrium morphology of current ripples in fine sand. Sedimentology 41(2): 185-209.

Basir, J. & Sanudin, T. 1988. Barremian Radiolaria from the Chert-Spilite Formation, Kudat, Sabah. Sains Malaysiana 17(1): 67-69.

Basir, J., Sanudin, T. & Abdul, R.S. 1985. Lower Cretaceous Radiolaria from the Chert-Spilites Formation, Kudat, Sabah. Warta Geologi11(4): 161-162.

Bouma, A.H. 1962. Sedimentology of Some Flysch Deposits: A Graphic Approach to Facies Interpretation. Amsterdam: Elsevier. p. 168.

Cartigny, M.J.B., Ventra, D., Postma, G. & van den Berg, J.H. 2014. Morphodynamics and sedimentary structures of bedforms under supercritical-flow conditions: New insights from flume experiments. Sedimentology 61(3): 712-748.

Cartigny, M.J.B., Eggenhuisen, J.T., Hansen, E.W.M. & Postma, G. 2013. Concentration dependent flow stratification in experimental high-density turbidity currents and their relevance to turbidite facies models. Journal of Sedimentary Research 83(12): 1046-1064.

Cartigny, M.J.B., Postma, G., van den Berg, J.H. & Mastbergen, D.R. 2011. A comparative study of sediment waves and cyclic steps based on geometries, internal structures and numerical modeling. Marine Geology 280(1-4): 40-56.

Chakraborty, C. & Bose, P.K. 1992. Ripple/dune to upper stage plane bed transition: Some observations from the ancient record. Geological Journal 27(4): 349-359.

Clement, J.F. & Keij, J. 1958. Geology of the Kudat Peninsula, North Borneo (Compilation) GR783. British Borneo: Royal Dutch Shell Group of Companies.

Crevello, P.D., Johnson, H.D., Tongkul, F. & Wells, M.R. 2008. Mixed braided andleveed-channel turbidites, West Crocker Fan system, Northwest Borneo. In Atlas of Deep Water Outcrops (AAPG Studies in Geology). United States: American Association of Petroleum Geologists.

Cummings, D.I., Dumas, S. & Dalrymple, R.W. 2009. Fine grained versus coarse-grained wave ripples generated experimentally under large-scale oscillatory flow. Journal of Sedimentary Research 79(2): 83-93.

Dumas, S. & Arnott, R.W.C. 2006. Origin of hummocky and swaley cross-stratification - The controlling influence of unidirectional current strength and aggradation rate. Geology 34(12): 1073-1076.

Dumas, S., Arnott, R.W.C. & Southard, J.B. 2005. Experiments on oscillatory-flow and combined-flow bed forms; implications for interpreting parts of the shallow-marine sedimentary record. Journal of Sedimentary Research 75(3): 501-513.

Fielding, C.R. 2006. Upper flow regime sheets, lenses and scour fills: extending the range of architectural elements for fluvial sediment bodies. Sedimentary Geology 190(1-4): 227-240.

Frank, P.L. 1981. Report No. 2021. The Onshore Geology of the Kudat Peninsula and Northern Islands, Sabah. Kuala Lumpur: Carigali-BP Sdn. Bhd.

García, M. & Parker, G. 1993. Experiments on the entrainment of sediment into suspension by a dense bottom current. Journal of Geophysical Research 98(C3): 4793-4807.

Hall, R. 2013. Contraction and extension in northern Borneo driven by subduction rollback. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 76: 399-411.

Hand, B.M., Middleton, G.V. & Skipper, K. 1972. Antidune cross-stratification in a turbidite sequence, Cloridorme Formation, Gaspé, Quebec. Sedimentology 18(1-2): 135-138.

Harms, J.C., Southard, J.B., Spearing, D.R. & Walker, R.G. 1975. Depositional environments as interpreted from primary sedimentary structures and stratification sequences. In Society for Sedimentary Geology Course Notes. United States: Society for Sedimentary Geology. 

Hazebroek, H.P. & Tan, D. 1993. Tertiary tectonic evolution of the NW Sabah continental margin. Bulletin of the Geological Society Malaysia 33(27): 195-210.

Hiscott, R.N. 1994. Traction-carpet stratification in turbidites; fact or fiction. Journal of Sedimentary Research 64(2a): 204-208.

Hofstra, M., Hodgson, D., Peakall, J. & Flint, S. 2015. Giant scour-fills in ancient channel-lobe transition zones: Formative processes and depositional architecture. Sedimentary Geology 329: 98-114.

Hutchison, C.S. 1996. The 'Rajang accretionary prism' and 'Lupar Line' problem of Borneo. In Tectonic Evolution of Southeast Asia. London: Geological Society. pp. 247-261.

Ito, M., Ishikawa, K. & Nishida, N. 2014. Distinctive erosional and depositional structures formed at a canyon mouth: A lower Pleistocene deep‐water succession in the Kazusa forearc basin on the Boso Peninsula, Japan. Sedimentology 61(7): 2042-2062.

Jackson, C.A.L., Zakaria, A.A., Johnson, H.D., Tongkul, F. & Crevello, P.D. 2009. Sedimentology, stratigraphic occurrence and origin of linked debrites in the West Crocker Formation (Oligo-Miocene), Sabah, NW Borneo. Marine and Petroleum Geology 26(10): 1957-1973.

Jobe, Z.R., Lowe, D.R. & Morris, W.R. 2012. Climbing-ripple successions in turbidite systems: Depositional environments, sedimentation rates and accumulation times. Sedimentology 59(3): 867-898.

Junaidi, A., Sanudin, T., Ahmad, R.R., Zainey, K. & Tjia, H.D. 2017. Smaller benthic foraminifera analysis of Kudat Formation, Kudat, Sabah: Preliminary interpretation. Geological Behaviour (GBR) 1(1): 27-29.

Kneller, B. & Branney, M.J. 1995. Sustained high density turbidite currents and the deposition of thick massive sands. Sedimentology 42(4): 607-616.

Kuenen, P.H.H. 1966. Experimental turbidite lamination in a circular flume. Journal of Geology 74(5): 523-545.

Komar, P.D. 1971. Hydraulic jumps in turbidity currents. Geological Society of America Bulletin 82(6): 1477-1488.

Kostic, S. & Parker, G. 2006. The response of turbidity currents to a canyon-fan transition: Internal hydraulic jumps and depositional signatures. Journal of Hydraulic Research 44(5): 631-653.

Lang, J. & Winsemann, J. 2013. Lateral and vertical facies relationships of bedforms deposited by aggrading supercritical flows: From cyclic steps to humpback dunes. Sedimentary Geology 296: 36-54.

Legros, F. 2002. Can dispersive pressure cause inverse grading in grain flows? Journal of Sedimentary Research 73(2): 166-170.

Leong, K.M. 1999. Geological setting of Sabah. In The Petroleum Geology and Resources of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS). pp. 475-497.

Liechti, P., Roe, F.W. & Haile, N.S. 1960. The geology of Sarawak, Brunei and Western Part of North Borneo. In Compiled from Work of the Royal Dutch Shell Group of Companies in the British Territories in Borneo and from Various Published Accounts. California: H.M. Stationery Office. p. 360.

Lim, P.S. 1986. Sabah Geological Map. Scale: 1: 50000. Kuala Lumpur: Geological Survey of Malaysia.

Lim, P.S. & Heng, Y.E. 1985. Geological Map of Sabah, 1:500,000. Kuala Lumpur: Geological Survey of Malaya.

Lowe, D.R. 1982. Sediment gravity flows: II. Depositional models with special reference to the deposits of high-density turbidity currents. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology 52(1): 279-297.

Lunt, P. 2013. Foraminiferal micropalaeontology in SE Asia. In Landmarks in Foraminiferal Micropalaeontology: History and Development. London: The Geological Society. London. pp. 193-206.

Lunt, P. & Madon, M. 2017. Onshore to offshore correlation of northern Borneo; A regional perspective. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Malaysia 64: 101-122.

Macdonald, H.A., Peakall, J. & Wignall, P.B. 2011. Sedimentation in deepsea lobe-elements: Implications for the origin of thickening-upward sequences. Journal of the Geological Society 168: 319-331.

MacEachern, J.A., Bann, K.L., Pemberton, S.G. & Gingras, M.K. 2007. The ichnofacies paradigm: High-resolution palaeoenvironmental interpretation of the rock record. In Applied Ichnology, Society for Sedimentary Geology Special Publication. London: SEPM. pp. 49-85.

MacEachern, J.A., Pemberton, S.G., Gingras, M.K. & Bann, K.L. 2010. Ichnology and facies models. In Facies Models 4. Canada: Geological Association of Canada. pp. 19-58.

Middleton, G.V. 1965. Antidune cross-bedding in a large flume. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology 35(4): 922-927.

Mulder, T. & Alexander, J. 2001. The physical character of subaqueous sedimentary density flows and their deposits. Sedimentology 48(2): 269-299.

Mutti, E., Tinterri, R., Benevelli, G., DiBiase, D. & Cavanna, G. 2003. Deltaic, mixed and turbidite sedimentation of ancient foreland basins. Marine and Petroleum Geology 20(6-8): 733-755.

Normark, W.R. & Piper, D.J. 1991. Initiation processes and flow evolution of turbidity currents: Implications for the depositional record. In From Shoreline to Abyss: Contributions in Marine Geology in Honor of Francis Parker Shepard. United States: SEPM. pp. 207-230.

Nursyazwani, A.J. & Abdul, H.A.R. 2017. Facies and stratigraphic architecture of the Kudat Formation, Sabah: Implications on provenance and Tectonics. Warta Geologi43(3): 319-320.

Postma, G., Cartigny, M.J.B. & Kleverlaan, K. 2009. Structureless, coarse-tail graded Bouma Ta formed by internal hydraulic jump of the turbidity current? Sedimentary Geology 219(1-4): 1-6.

Postma, G., Nemec, W. & Kleinspehn, K. 1988. Large floating clasts in turbidites: A mechanism for their emplacement. Sedimentary Geology 58(1): 47-61.

Rangin, C., Bellon, H., Benard, F., Letouzey, J., Muller, C. & Sanudin, T. 1990. Neogene arc-continent collision in Sabah, Northern Borneo (Malaysia). Tectonophysics 183: 305-319.

Rona, P. & Seilacher, A. 2009. Paleodictyon nodosum: A living fossil on the deep-sea floor. Deep-Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography 56(19-20): 1700-1712.

Samira, G., Mohd, S., Nasiman, S. & Mohammadsadegh, M. 2018. Sedimentary architecture and depositional environment of Kudat Formation, Sabah, Malaysia. In International Conference on Architecture and Civil Engineering Series Materials Science and Engineering. Kuala Lumpur: Sigma Research and Consulting Sdn. Bhd. p. 012025.

Sanudin, T., Kong, V.S., Baba, M. & Junaidi, A. 2017. Facies and sandstone characteristics of the Kudat Formation, Sabah, Malaysia. Geological Behavior1(2): 20-25.

Seilacher, A. 2007. Trace Fossil Analysis. Berlin: Springer.

Shariff, A.K.O., Majeed, M.F. & Sanudin, T. 1994. The Kudat ophiolite complex. Northern Sabah, Malaysia - field description and discussion. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Malaysia 20(5): 337-345.

Sohn, Y.K. 1997. On traction-carpet sedimentation. Journal of Sedimentary Research 67(3): 502-509.

Southard, J.B. 1991. Experimental determination of bed-form stability. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Science 19: 423-455.

Stephens, E.A. 1956. The Geology and Mineral Resources of the Kota Belud and Kudat Area, North Borneo. Kuching: Malaysia Geological Survey Borneo Region Memoir.

Suggate, S.M. & Hall, R. 2013. Using detrital garnet compositions to determine provenance; A new compositional database and procedure. The Geological Society 386(1): 373-393.

Taki, K. & Parker, G. 2005. Transportational cyclic steps created by flow over an erodible bed. Part 1: Experiments. Journal of Hydraulic Research 43(5): 488-501.

Talling, P.J., Masson, D.G., Sumner, F.J. & Malgesini, G. 2012. Subaqueous sediment density flows, depositional processes and deposit types. Sedimentology 59(7): 1937-2003.

Tinterri, R., Drago, M., Consomi, A., Davoli, G. & Mutti, E. 2003. Modelling subaqueous bipartite sediment gravity flows on the basis of outcrop constraints: First results. Marine and Petroleum Geology 20(6-8): 911-933.

Tongkul, F. 2006. The structural style of Lower Miocene sedimentary rocks, Kudat Peninsula, Sabah.  Bulletin of the Geological Society of Malaysia 49: 119-124.

Tongkul, F. 1994. The geology of Northern Sabah Malaysia: Its relationship to the opening of the South China Sea Basin. Tectonophysics 235(1-2): 131-137.

Tongkul, F. 1991. Tectonic evolution of Sabah, Malaysia. Journal of Southeast Asian Earth Sciences 6(3/4): 395-405.

Uchman, A. 2009. The Ophiomorpha rudis ichnosubfacies of the Nereites ichnofacies: characteristics and constraints. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology 276(1): 107-119.

van Hattum, M.W.A., Hall, R., Pickard, A.L. & Nichols, G.J. 2013. Provenance and geochronology of cenozoic sandstones of northern Borneo. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 76: 266-282.

Walker, R.G. 1967. Turbidite sedimentary structures and their relationship to proximal and distal depositional environments. Journal of Sedimentary Research 37(1): 25-43.

Yagishita, K. 1994. Antidunes and traction-carpet deposits in deep-water channel sandstones, Cretaceous, British Columbia, Canada. Journal of Sedimentary Research 64(1a): 34-41.

*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: hafzan.eva@umk.edu.my