P23. Geochemistry of sediments and sedimentary ores: addressing paleogeographic restoration and georesources exploration

The geochemistry of both siliciclastic and marine sedimentary rocks involving, for instance, the distribution of rare earth elements (REEs) and other high field strength elements (HFSEs), constitutes an important record of the geological evolution of the continental crust and marine settings through time, because these elements are preferentially transferred and transported in the terrigenous clastic fraction allowing to constrain the provenance, to evaluate the processes determining their origin, and to infer paleogeography. Fractionation processes of selected trace elements in sediments can also significantly improve our knowledge on the paleoenvironmental conditions and the evolution of sedimentary basins. Further, the chemical differentiation of critical trace elements in sedimentary ores, especially bauxites and phosphorites, provide valuable insights into their genesis and represent, in addition to addressing paleoenvironmental issues,  a valuable geochemical exploration tool facing a worldwide scenario evolving toward an increasing demand for these economic elements.
Accordingly, this session welcomes research contributions on the geochemical processes affecting  sedimentary deposits and ores, at all spatial and temporal scales, from provenance to diagenesis, together with their economic implications.