ELSEVIER Sedimentary Geology 128 (1999) 8398

Sandstone petrology and provenance of the Neoproterozoic Voltaian

Group in the southeastern Voltaian Basin, Ghana
Chris Anani
*
Department of Geological Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University, Ikarashi 2-8050,
Niigata 950-2181, Japan
Received 15 November 1998; accepted 5 May 1999
Abstract
The Neoproterozoic strata in the eastern part of the Voltaian Basin are divided into the Lower, Middle and Upper
Voltaian formations. The Kwahu Sandstone and Anyaboni Sandstone members are within the Lower and Middle Voltaian
formations, respectively. Modal plots for the Kwahu Sandstone indicate a craton interior provenance. Quartz-type analysis
suggests a mostly plutonic origin, and the tourmaline chemistry indicates a major granitic source with associated
metasedimentary rocks. The sandstones of the Anyaboni Sandstone plot mostly in the transitional continental and partly
in the craton interior provenances on QFL and QmFLt diagrams. Quartz-type analysis suggests a source of medium-grade
metamorphic rocks; tourmaline analysis indicates a metasedimentary origin. The sedimentological data and interpretations
suggest that the Kwahu Sandstone originated from the Birimian Supergroup located in the west and south of the Voltaian
Basin. The Anyaboni Sandstone is thought to have been derived from the same supergroup, but from the southwest of the
Voltaian Basin. The differences in sandstone composition between the Kwahu Sandstone and Anyaboni Sandstone seem
to be due to tectonic movements, probably intracontinental rifts, and to a possible climatic effect in the source areas and
within the sedimentary basin. 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Ghana; Voltaian Basin; modal analysis; provenance; sandstone; petrology
1. Introduction
The Neoproterozoic to Early Cambrian Voltaian
Basin in Ghana is considered to reect more than
one tectonic setting (Affaton et al., 1980; Wright
et al., 1985). Its central and western parts represent
typical platform cover, but the eastern part is deeply
buried and resembles a continental passive margin.
The sandstone compositions, their provenances
and their relationships to the tectonics of the Volta-
ian Basin have not previously been examined in

Tel.: C81 25 260 2130; Fax: C81 25 260 2130; E-mail:

chris@geows.sc.niigata-u.ac.jp
detail. Such studies are essential to the understand-
ing of the paleogeography of the region, and should
make it possible to identify possible source areas.
Comparison of the sedimentology and mineralogy of
modern river sands with those of the sandstones of
the Voltaian Group may help disclose the sources of
valuable minerals such as gold, and thus might lead
to more successful prospecting.
This paper describes the petrography of sand-
stones in the Voltaian Group, including analyses of
quartz types and varietal studies of tourmalines, and
comments on the provenance and tectonic setting of
the Voltaian Group sediments.
0037-0738/99/$ see front matter 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
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84 C. Anani / Sedimentary Geology 128 (1999) 8398
2. Geological setting
There are three main structural units in West
Africa: (1) a Precambrian basement referred to as
the West African Craton; (2) Pan-African (around
600 Ma) and Hercynian (350300 Ma) orogenic fold
belts; (3) Mesozoic to Cenozoic sedimentary basins
(Affaton et al., 1980).
The Voltaian Basin is situated on the southeast-
ern margin of the West African Craton (Fig. 1). It
is bounded to the south, west and north mostly by
rocks of the Paleoproterozoic Birimian Supergroup,
which have yielded an Sm:Nd whole-rock isochron
age of tholeiitic basalts of 2166 66 Ma (Taylor et
al., 1988, quoted in Hirdes et al., 1992) and a U=Pb
zircon dating age on belt granitoid plutons of 2175
Ma (Hirdes et al., 1992), and partly by the Tark-
waian Group (Fig. 1). Hirdes et al. (1992) reported
that both the Birimian supracrustal rocks and the
Fig. 1. Generalized geological map of the West African Craton. Modied after Ako and Wellman (1985). Belts and basins in the Birimian
are dened after Leube et al. (1990) as follows: A D KibiWinneba belt; B D Cape Coast Basin; C D Ashanti belt; D D Kumasi Basin;
E D Sefwi belt; F D Sunyani basin; G D Bui belt; H D Maluwe Basin; I D BoleNavrongo belt; J D Lawra belt.
Tarkwaian Group were deformed, metamorphosed
to greenschist facies in the course of the Eburnean
tectono-thermal event (2102 Ma) to form part of
the West African Craton.
The Birimian Supergroup consists of metasedi-
mentary rocks which were deposited in basinal ar-
eas separated by volcanic belts, that trend northeast
southwest in which mainly tholeiitic basalts occur.
The metasedimentary rocks in the basinal areas are
(1) volcaniclastic rocks, (2) turbidite-related wackes,
(3) argillitic rocks, and (4) chemical sediments (Leube
et al., 1990). The rocks of the Tarkwaian Group rep-
resent the erosional products of the Birimian, and are
dominated by coarse-clastic sediments. They are lo-
cated mostly within the volcanic belts. The whole
complex of basins and volcanic belts have been ex-
tensively intruded by granitoids (Eisenlohr, 1992).
The Buem Formation and the Togo Formation
form the eastern boundary of the Voltaian Basin
C. Anani / Sedimentary Geology 128 (1999) 8398 85
(Fig. 1). The Buem Formation is gently folded with
NS-trending axes, and displays an anchizonal meta-
morphism (Castaing et al., 1993). It is composed of
calcareous, argillaceous and=or sandy shale, arkose
and graywacke sandstone, ophiolitic units that in-
clude alkaline and calc-alkaline basalts, and serpen-
tinites with chromite and cross-cutting dolerites. The
Togo Formation is mainly composed of aluminous
metaquartzite, albitic micaschist, leucocratic gneiss
and scarce metabasic and ultrabasic rocks (Fig. 1;
Affaton et al., 1980). To the east of the Togo
Formation, the BeninNigerian Province (Caby,
1989, quoted in Petters, 1991) comprises mus-
covite-bearing quartzites, quartzitic sericite schists,
gneisses, granites, granitic gneisses and leucocratic
migmatites, and basic rocks (Affaton et al., 1980).
The BeninNigerian Province thus comprises blocks
of the Birimian Supergroup subsequently reworked
during the Pan-African and perhaps Kibaran oroge-
nies, a metasedimentary cover mainly equivalent to
the Togo Formation (Affaton et al., 1980).
The sediments of the Voltaian Group cover an
area of 103,600 km
2
, almost one-third of the area
of Ghana (Kesse, 1985). They are generally at-
lying and unmetamorphosed, except at their east-
ern margin. Ako and Wellman (1985) reported that
the Compagnie General de Geophysique (CGG) has
carried out a total magnetic intensity aeromagnetic
survey over the whole of the Voltaian sedimentary
basin, and has mapped depths to magnetic basement.
Magnetic basement has its greatest depth of 45 km
along a NS trough at 0 longitude between 7 and
9N latitude. The western and northern thirds of the
basin are less than 3 km thick, and the southeastern
third generally over 3 km thick. The Voltaian Group
consists mainly of sandstone, shale, mudstone and
conglomerate.
2.1. The Voltaian Group
There are few detailed geologic descriptions of
sediments of the Voltaian Group sequences; subdi-
vision of the group is difcult due to poor expo-
sure and the lack of laterally persistent lithological
marker beds or fossils. The group has generally
been divided into three formations, each separated
by an unconformity marked by a tillite (Fig. 2). The
Lower Voltaian Formation consists of a massive to
cross-bedded arkosic sequence. The Middle Volta-
ian Formation consists of a yschoid sequence, and
the Upper Voltaian Formation consists of a molasse
sequence (Affaton et al., 1980).
The Lower Voltaian Formation unconformably
overlies the Birimian Supergroup. A radiometric age
of 993 62 Ma from the lower part of the Lower
Voltaian Formation gives the approximate period for
the beginning of sedimentation of the group. The
calculated age was based on a three-point regression
line and no analytical data were published (Clauer,
1976, quoted in Cahen et al., 1984). The depositional
environment for the Lower Voltaian Formation is
likely to have been shallow marine or uviatile. It
reects a fairly stable tectonic setting throughout the
depositional area.
The Middle Voltaian Formation overlies the
Lower Voltaian Formation with a slight angular un-
conformity. Conglomeratic beds interpreted as tillites
form the basal part of the Middle Voltaian Formation
(Petters, 1991). Shales, siltstones and sandstones,
glauconitic in part, constitute the principal litholo-
gies of the Middle Voltaian Formation. KAr dat-
ing of glauconite from a borehole core at Tibagona
yielded a Vendian age of 60020 Ma (Bozhko, 1969,
1974, 1984, quoted in Bozhko, 1994); the presence
of abundant early Vendian microfossils conrms this
age.
The Upper Voltaian Formation is divided into
a lower and an upper unit. The lower unit con-
sists mostly of dirty-yellow, ne-grained, thinly bed-
ded, micaceous, feldspathic quartz sandstones with
subordinate argillite intercalations. The upper unit
consists of white to whitish-yellow, massive, ne- to
medium-grained, cross-bedded arkosic and quartzose
sandstones. The Upper Voltaian Formation occurs as
scattered outcrops in the central part of the Volta-
ian Basin, with an average thickness of about 400
m. The Upper Voltaian Formation constitutes the
molasse deposits formed in the CambroOrdovician
period by the erosion of some horizons in the Pan-
African mobile belt (Grant, 1969).
3. Stratigraphy of the study area
The study area, bounded by 615
0
N and 630
0
N
latitude and 000
0
W and 015
0
W longitude, lies in
86 C. Anani / Sedimentary Geology 128 (1999) 8398
Fig. 2. Sequence of the Voltaian Group (redrawn after Cahen et al., 1984 and Petters, 1991). The horizons of both the Kwahu Sandstone
Member and the Anyaboni Sandstone Member are indicated. Radiometric age, 993 62 Ma, and RbSr isochron age, 660 65 Ma,
from Cahen et al., 1984.
the southeastern part of the Voltaian Basin (Fig. 1).
The Kwahu and Anyaboni sandstones crop out over
most of the study area, with a small area of Buem
Formation in the southeast (Fig. 3). There is no com-
pletely exposed section through the Voltaian Group
due to deep weathering and low topographic relief.
Correlations within the group and the formations of
the area within it are therefore difcult.
Two subdivisions were identied in the present
work, the Kwahu Sandstone Member of the Lower
Voltaian Formation and the Anyaboni Sandstone
Member of the Middle Voltaian Formation (Fig. 3
C
.
A
n
a
n
i
/
S
e
d
i
m
e
n
t
a
r
y
G
e
o
l
o
g
y
1
2
8
(
1
9
9
9
)
8
3

9
8
8
7
Fig. 3. Geological map of the Voltaian Group and the Buem Formation in the southeastern part of the Voltaian Basin with sampling localities. See insert map in Fig. 1 for
location.
88 C. Anani / Sedimentary Geology 128 (1999) 8398
Table 1
Stratigraphic and lithologic divisions of the Voltaian Group in the southeastern Voltaian Basin
and Table 1). The former corresponds to the upper
part of the Kwahu Sandstone of Saunders (1970),
and the latter is the correlative of the Anyaboni For-
mation of Saunders (1970). A normal fault with a
NWSE trend, the Bukudo Fault, separates the two
sandstone members (Fig. 3).
3.1. The Kwahu Sandstone Member
Saunders (1970) divided the strata of the Kwahu
Plateau into three units, a lower thin-bedded sand-
stone, a middle shale, and an upper cross-stratied
orthoquartzite (quartzose sandstone of this paper),
which he called the Kwahu Sandstone. The lowest
unit unconformably overlies the Proterozoic Tarkwa-
ian Group and the underlying Birimian Supergroup.
The Kwahu Sandstone Member is 500 m thick in the
study area and is exposed at the Osonson, Sekesua and
Otrokper localities (Fig. 3). It consists of a lower hori-
zon of mostly coarse- to medium-grained quartzose
sandstones (Table 1). The beds are thick to massive
(>20 m), and generally horizontal. The quartz grains
are subrounded to rounded and often poorly sorted.
The sandstone characteristically contains clay clasts
C. Anani / Sedimentary Geology 128 (1999) 8398 89
(or clay galls), and sporadic interbeds of gray shale
occur. The shales are ne-grained, quite smooth-tex-
tured and exhibit remarkably thin laminae. The thick-
to massive bedded quartz sandstones are underlain
by granule conglomerates, which often form rela-
tively thin beds. These features are typically observed
around the Osonson locality.
The upper horizon consists of 10 to 15 m of
medium- to ne-grained quartzose sandstones. The
beds are generally whitish in color, but often lo-
cally stained by reddish Fe
2
O
3
. Grains are also sub-
rounded to rounded.
3.2. The Anyaboni Sandstone Member
Saunders (1970) showed that the Bukudo Fault
marks the contact between the upper part of the
Kwahu Sandstone and the Anyaboni Formation (the
Anyaboni Sandstone Member of this paper). The
fault is well exposed in the bed of the Bukudo stream
at a point 5 km west of Sekesua (Fig. 3).
The Anyaboni Sandstone Member is exposed at
the Anyaboni, Apimso, Bisa, Asesewa and Anyilesu
localities. Its type area is in and around the Anyaboni
locality. The member is about 400 m thick and has
here been divided into two units, a lower unit domi-
nated by beds ranging from 1 to 5 m in thickness, and
an upper unit of thick sandstone beds, about 10 m
on average. Both units are composed of feldspathic
sandstone, although feldspar is less frequent in the
lower unit which is characterised by relatively high
mica contents (especially muscovite). Mica is rare or
absent in the upper unit. The boundary between the
two units is gradational and, in some places, poorly
dened. The feldspar in both units imparts a pink
color. The sandstones are mostly chocolate in color,
and a reddish brown color (probably hematite) is also
commonly present. Gray or white sandstones occur
at a few localities. Both units contain cross-bedding
and=or parallel laminations, with other sedimentary
structures such as poorly developed graded-bedding
at some localities.
3.3. The Buem Formation
One locality in the study area, at Pawnpawn,
is situated in the lower part of the Middle Buem
Member of the Buem Formation. This consists of
coarse-grained quartz sandstones in thick to massive
(>20 m) beds. The dip is generally to the south-
southeast (Fig. 3). The quartz grains are coarse- to
medium-grained, subrounded to rounded, and often
poorly sorted. The sandstones characteristically con-
tain clay clasts.
4. Petrographic sampling and modal
characteristics of the Voltaian Group and the
Buem Formation sandstones
4.1. Sampling
A suite of samples was collected from the Volta-
ian Group and the Buem Formation of the study
area. 109 samples were collected from 9 localities
(Fig. 3). These were made up of 11 samples from
Osonson, 14 from Sekesua, 5 from Otrokper, 45
from Anyaboni, 4 from Apimso, 10 from Pawnpawn,
8 from Bisa, 7 from Asesewa, and 5 from Anyilesu.
Most of the sampled rocks are medium-grained with
a few ne- and coarse-grained sandstones. Thin sec-
tions were prepared of all of them for petrographic
analysis. Only 96 were point-counted. The remaining
13 thin sections were not good to produce favourable
counting statistics due to hematite invading micro-
pores in the rock fragments, sufcient enough to
prevent other mineral grain identication.
Point-counting was carried out to identify individ-
ual grains or crystals larger than 0.0625 mm using
the GazziDickinson method (Dickinson, 1970; In-
gersoll et al., 1984). The constituent minerals of the
sandstones were classied into seven groups: mono-
crystalline quartz, polycrystalline quartz, feldspar,
aphanitic lithic fragments (volcanics, meta-volcanics,
sediments, meta-sediments and cherts), heavy min-
erals, monocrystalline phyllosilicates (sericites, chlo-
rites, kaolinites, etc), and miscellaneous and uniden-
tied framework grains.
For each thin section, 500 points were counted,
using the maximum grid spacing to give full cover-
age of the slide. In a very few cases the thin section
was of poor quality and the grid spacing was reduced
in order to obtain at least 500 counts. All the thin
sections were stained with sodium cobaltinitrite to
distinguish the potassium feldspar from quartz and
chert. Full data are reported in Anani (1997).
90 C. Anani / Sedimentary Geology 128 (1999) 8398
Table 2
Mean modal composition of sandstones from the Voltaian Group and Buem Formation from the southeastern margin of the Voltaian
Basin
Member name Number of samples Quartz Feldspar Aphanitic lithic fragment D M Mc
Qm Qp total K P total Lv Ls ch
Anyaboni 62 71.8 2.5 74.4 20 0 20 0.7 0.03 0.5 0.3 1.1 3.5
Sandstone (SD) 5.90 1.90 6.20 5.3 0 5.3 0.5 0.1 0.5 0.5 0.9 2.2
Kwahu 25 96.3 1.4 97.6 0.4 0 0.4 0.1 0.1 0.7 0.1 1 0.2
Sandstone (SD) 2.5 1.1 2.6 1.5 0 1.5 0.3 0.2 0.6 0.1 1.1 0.4
Middle 9 92.8 2.5 95.3 0.3 0 0.3 0.2 1.3 0.7 0.2 1.5 0.6
Buem (SD) 5.2 0.7 4.7 0.7 0 0.7 0.2 2.3 0.4 0.3 1.7 0.7
Qm D monocrystalline quartz, Qp D polycrystalline quartz, K D potassic feldspar, Lv D volcanic and metavolcanic lithics, Ls D
sedimentary and metasedimentary lithics excluding chert, ch D chert, D D dense minerals, M D monocrystalline phyllosilicates, Mc D
miscellaneous and unidentied framework grains, (SD) D standard deviation.
Compositional elds are shown as triangular
QFL (quartzfeldsparlithic fragments) and QmFLt
(monocrystalline quartzfelspartotal lithic frag-
ments) diagrams to differentiate maturity and source
rocks (Dickinson and Suczek, 1979; Dickinson et
al., 1983; Dickinson, 1985.). The three apices which
represent the recalculated proportions of key cate-
gories of grain types are those used by Dickinson
(1970). The mean compositions of each member
sampled here are shown in Table 2. The QFL and
QmFLt compositions are plotted in Figs. 4 and 5,
respectively.
4.2. The Kwahu Sandstone Member
The Osonson, Sekesua and Otrokper localities are
situated in the upper part of the Kwahu Sandstone
Member. The absence of diagnostic fossils and litho-
logical marker beds makes correlation between the
localities difcult, but the same horizons seem to
outcrop at each locality. The beds are mostly hori-
zontal; a few dip gently eastwards.
The petrographic characteristics of all three local-
ities in the Kwahu Sandstone Member are broadly
similar. All three are quartz-rich sandstones with
very few feldspars or rock fragments (Table 2).
The framework quartz occurs mainly as mono-
crystalline quartz, some of which has strained (undu-
latory) extinction. Very few show polycrystallinity.
The grains are subrounded to rounded and are mod-
erately to poorly sorted. A few have overgrowths,
and some of those show multiple overgrowth rim-
ming on detrital quartz grains. Sphene, tourmaline,
zircon, apatite and rutile occur as accessory minerals.
A few clay pellets are present in the form of aggre-
gates of minute phyllosilicates. The samples from
the Kwahu Sandstone Member mostly fall in the Q
pole area within the craton interior eld of the QFL
diagram (Fig. 4). The QmFLt plots of the Kwahu
Sandstone Member show a similar result due to the
extremely low content of lithic fragments (Fig. 5).
Both plots emphasise the highly quartzose nature of
the Kwahu Sandstone Member.
4.3. The Anyaboni Sandstone Member
Anyaboni, Apimso, Bisa, Asesewa, and Anyilesu
(Fig. 3) localities are situated within the Anyaboni
Sandstone Member. The stratigraphic relations are
poorly known due to the absence of diagnostic fossils
and lithological marker beds. The horizons sampled
may not cover the whole of the Anyaboni Sandstone
Member sequence. The beds are mostly horizontal.
The petrographic characteristics of the ve locali-
ties in the Anyaboni Sandstone Member are similar
to each other and are therefore described together
here. The study showed some pore-lling quartz as
well as signicant amounts of hematite inlling pore
spaces.
Opaque oxide pigments, probably mainly hema-
tite, are present locally in a few of the sandstones.
They probably result from the oxidation of ferromag-
nesian minerals; the same process occurs on a larger
scale throughout the outcrops. In some samples, the
hematite in the micropores prevents the identication
of other mineral grains.
C. Anani / Sedimentary Geology 128 (1999) 8398 91
Fig. 4. QFL plots of detrital modes for the Kwahu and Anyaboni
Sandstone suites of the Voltaian Group and the Buem Formation.
See Table 2 for data and explanation.
A petrographic study of 62 thin sections from the
ve Anyaboni Sandstone localities (Table 2) showed
the sandstones to be mostly arkose to subarkose, ac-
cording to the classication of Pettijohn et al. (1972).
Fig. 5. QmFLt plots of detrital modes for the Kwahu and
Anyaboni Sandstone suites of the Voltaian Group and the Buem
Formation. See Table 2 for data and explanation, and legend of
Fig. 4.
The main constituents are quartz and feldspar with
very fewrock fragments. The heavy minerals tourma-
line, zircon, sphene, apatite, epidote and rutile occur
92 C. Anani / Sedimentary Geology 128 (1999) 8398
as accessories. Tourmaline and zircon are the most
common. The micas (0.2%3%) are mostly mus-
covite with traces of biotite. The secondary miner-
als sericite, illite and, more rarely, kaolinite are also
present, generally forming 0.8%5.4% of the matrix.
Grain-to-grain boundaries are mostly straight with
a few crenulate contacts between strongly elongate
grains. Detrital-grainsizes range mostly between 0.12
mm and 0.65 mm. Most of the grains are subangular
to subrounded, and are moderately to well sorted, us-
ing the denition of Pettijohn et al. (1972).
The QFL and QmFLt plots in Figs. 4 and 5, re-
spectively, were compared with those of Dickinson
et al. (1983) to identify possible source areas for the
detrital grains. The QFL plots of the Anyaboni Sand-
stone Member fall in both the transitional continental
eld and the craton interior eld (Fig. 4). The QmFLt
plots for the corresponding samples also fall within
the transitional continental eld and the craton inte-
rior eld (Fig. 5). In the QmFLt diagram, all lithic
fragments are plotted together; thus, the emphasis is
directed toward the grain size of the source rocks,
since ner-grained rocks yield more lithic fragments
in the sand-size range.
4.4. The Middle Buem Member
A small part of the lower horizon of the Mid-
dle Buem Member was sampled at the Pawnpawn
locality (Fig. 3).
The sandstones at the Pawnpawn locality are
quartz-rich, medium- to coarse-grained. Most of the
coarse grains and some of the medium grains are
subrounded to rounded: most of the medium grains
are subangular to subrounded. The sandstones are
moderately to poorly sorted. A few of the quartz
grains have overgrowths which can be recognised by
a dust ring. Clay clasts can be seen to be formed
of aggregates of minute phyllosilicate crystals. The
textural characteristics are similar to those of the
sandstones of the Kwahu Sandstone. The only ob-
servable difference between the two members is the
higher polycrystalline quartz content of the Middle
Buem Member.
Samples of the Middle Buem Member mostly plot
in the craton interior eld in the QFL and QmFLt
diagrams (Figs. 4 and 5). The QmFLt plot shows
higher lithic fragment content in the Middle Buem
Member of the Buem Formation compared to those
of the Anyaboni and Kwahu sandstones.
5. Quartz types of selected sandstones
According to Basu et al. (1975) comparison of
undulosity of the monocrystalline quartz with the
amount of polycrystalline quartz can be used to
differentiate recent and ancient sands of plutonic
and low- and high-rank metamorphic origins. The
method was used for quartz-types from some of
the medium-grained sandstones of the Kwahu and
Anyaboni sandstones.
5.1. Procedure
Fourteen sandstone samples, ve from the Kwahu
Sandstone and nine from the Anyaboni Sandstone,
were examined in thin section. Each thin section was
stained with sodium cobaltinitrite to differentiate
quartz from potassium feldspar. Point-counts were
mostly in the range 330500. Four counting banks
were reserved for data collected simultaneously, fol-
lowing the procedure described by Basu et al. (1975).
These were: (1) monocrystalline quartz, subdivided
into two banks of (a) undulatory quartz (extinction
angle >5) and (b) non-undulatory quartz (extinction
angle 5); and (2) polycrystalline quartz, subdi-
vided into two banks, namely (a) 23 crystals per
grain and (b) >3 crystals per grain. In a very few
cases, mostly in the Kwahu Sandstone, grain bound-
ary identication was difcult, but in most cases dust
rings made boundary identication easy.
5.2. Results
The Kwahu Sandstone samples are mostly mono-
crystalline quartz with 75 to 80% of the quartz grains
showing non-undulatory extinction. Polycrystalline
grains make up between 3 and 9% of the total quartz.
In contrast, the Anyaboni Sandstone samples show
undulatory extinction in 2536% of total quartz pop-
ulation and polycrystallinity in 512% of the quartz
grains.
When plotted on a diamond diagram of Basu et
al. (1975) (Fig. 6), the Kwahu Sandstone samples
fall in the plutonic eld and around the plutonic
C. Anani / Sedimentary Geology 128 (1999) 8398 93
Fig. 6. Four-variable plot of nature of quartz population in the selected sandstones from the Voltaian Group. Diagram is after Basu et al.
(1975).
metamorphic eld boundary. The Anyaboni Sand-
stone samples plot in the middle and upper rank
metamorphic eld.
6. Tourmaline as a petrogenetic indicator
Within the study area, zircon, tourmaline and
opaque minerals are the most common heavy miner-
als in the Voltaian Group, although this may not be
true for the Voltaian Basin as a whole. Tourmaline
analysis was used following the procedure described
by Henry and Guidotti (1985), to try to identify pos-
sible source rocks and hence source areas. Tourma-
line is mechanically and chemically stable and each
tourmaline grain can potentially provide information
on its origin.
Henry and Guidotti (1985) showed that tourma-
line compositions plotted on AlFe(tot)Mg and
CaFe(tot)Mg ternary diagrams can be used to
identify tourmalines from different rock types.
6.1. Procedure
Sandstone samples were crushed in a jaw-crusher
and each sample was panned to produce a heavy-
minerals concentrate. Carbonates were removed with
dilute (10%) HCl, and the residues were dried and
94 C. Anani / Sedimentary Geology 128 (1999) 8398
sieved using a 44 m sieve and a 250 m sieve. The
heavy minerals were concentrated using bromoform
(tribromoethane), and a tourmaline concentrate was
prepared using a magnetic separator. The tourmaline
grains were then hand-picked and mounted on glass
slides using petropoxy 154. Thin sections were made
of 98 grains from six sandstone samples for optical
and chemical analysis.
A JSM-5310E Scanning Electron Microscope
(SEM) equipped with an Energy-Dispersive Spectro-
scope (EDS) was used for the analyses. The proce-
dure followed for the normalisation of cations is that
of Henry and Guidotti (1985) and Henry and Dutrow
(1996). This provides a good rst approximation:
24.5 oxygens were applied in the normalisation of
the cations since the EDS analyses each grain to
100%, thus boron cannot be calculated. Microprobe
analytical data are reported in Anani (1997).
6.2. Microscopic identication and chemical
analyses
Under the optical microscope some of the tour-
maline grains occur as short slender prisms with
terminations at one, or rarely, both ends. Mostly they
appear as curved near-triangular sections, and as egg-
shaped or long ellipsoidal grains. Of the tourmalines
45 show zoning and 53 appear to be homogeneous.
Both the cores and the rims of the zoned grains were
chemically analysed, but they showed little varia-
tion. Only the results from the cores are shown here
(Fig. 7b and Fig. 8b). Analyses from both the un-
zoned and zoned grains give an indication as to the
nature of the potential source rocks (Figs. 7 and 8).
The homogeneous grains show more compositional
variation and may be more detrital in origin.
6.3. The Kwahu Sandstone Member
The unzoned tourmalines from the Kwahu Sand-
stone (samples 126, 129 and 115) fall in distinct elds
(Fig. 7a). In the AlFe(tot)Mg diagram (Fig. 7a)
sample 115 falls in the eld dened for metapelites
and metapsammites not coexisting with an Al-saturat-
ing phase. Sample 126 tourmalines fall in the follow-
ing respective elds: Li-poor granitoids, metapelites
and metapsammites coexisting with an Al-saturat-
ing phase, with a few tourmalines straddling in and
around the eld for metapelites and metapsammites
not coexisting with an Al-saturating phase. Tourma-
lines from sample 129 distinctly fall into the elds of
Li-poor granitoids, metapelites and metapsammites
coexisting with an Al-saturating phase.
The core of zoned tourmalines from the Kwahu
Sandstone (samples 126, 129, 115) fall in the fol-
lowing elds (Fig. 7b). Sample 126 tourmalines fall
relatively well in the eld dened for metapelites
and metapsammites coexisting with an Al-saturat-
ing phase. A few of them fall well within the eld
dened for Li-poor granitoids. Tourmalines from
sample number 129 fall within 3 elds, the Li-poor
granitoids, metapelites and metapsammites coexist-
ing with an Al-saturating phase, and metapelites and
metapsammites not coexisting with an Al-saturat-
ing phase. Sample number 115 tourmaline straddles
around the Li-poor granitoid elds. This distinct
positioning of the tourmalines is similarly shown
by their corresponding CaFe(tot)Mg diagrams
(Fig. 8).
The chemical compositions of the tourmalines
point to source rocks that are mostly granites, with
some metasediments.
6.4. The Anyaboni Sandstone Member
The plots of tourmalines from the Anyaboni Sand-
stone (samples 151, 165 and 185) allow some con-
straints to be placed more condently on the possible
source rocks. In Fig. 7a sample 151 falls in both
elds dened for metapelites and metapsammites.
Sample 165 tourmalines fall in the eld dened
for Li-poor granitoids. Tourmalines from sample 185
distinctly fall into the following elds: Li-poor grani-
toids, metapelites and metapsammites not coexisting
with an Al-saturating phase and a third eld for
calc-silicate rocks and metapelites.
Fig. 7b shows the core of zoned tourmalines from
the Anyaboni Sandstone (samples 151, 165 and 185).
Sample 151 tourmalines fall well within the eld
dened for metapelites and metapsammites coexist-
ing with an Al-saturating phase. Tourmalines from
sample 165 fall well within the Li-poor granitoid
eld, while some straddle around metapelites and
metapsammites not coexisting with an Al-saturating
phase. Sample 185 tourmalines straddle around the
eld for metapelites and metapsammites not coexist-
C. Anani / Sedimentary Geology 128 (1999) 8398 95
Fig. 7. (a) Unzoned tourmalines. (b) Zoned tourmalines. AlFe(tot)Mg diagram (in molecular proportions) for tourmalines from
Voltaian Group sandstones. This diagram is divided into regions that dene the compositional ranges of tourmalines from different
parent-rock types (after Henry and Guidotti, 1985); 1 D Li-rich granitoid pegmatites and aplites; 2 D Li-poor granitoids and their
associated pegmatites and aplites; 3 D Fe
3C
-rich quartztourmaline rocks (hydrothermally altered granites); 4 D metapelites and
metapsammites coexisting with an Al-saturating phase; 5 D metapelites and metapsammites not coexisting with an Al-saturating phase;
6 D Fe
3C
-rich quartztourmaline rocks, calc-silicate rocks, and metapelites; 7 D low-Ca meta-ultramacs and Cr, V-rich metasediments;
8 D metacarbonates and meta-pyroxenites.
ing with an Al-saturating phase. This distinct posi-
tioning of the tourmalines is similarly shown by their
corresponding CaFe(tot)Mg diagrams (Fig. 8).
The chemical composition of the tourmalines here
suggests source rocks that are mostly metasediments
with some granites.
7. Discussion
The possible effects of tectonic movements which
occurred during the deposition of the Voltaian Group
in the southeastern Voltaian Basin on the mineral
compositions of the Kwahu and Anyaboni sand-
stones are considered here. The characteristics of
the quartz populations of the sandstones and the
chemical compositions of their tourmalines probably
reect these crustal movements and can therefore be
used to decipher them. The rock constitution and
tectonic setting of the surrounding terranes, the Bir-
imian Supergroup, the Buem and Togo formations
are also discussed to deduce possible source rocks.
7.1. Provenance characteristics deduced from
clastic sediments
The sandstones of the Kwahu Sandstone are
quartz arenites which consist almost exclusively of
quartz with a minor component of aphanitic lithic
fragments. QFL and QmFLt plots indicate that al-
most all these sediments were formed within the
craton interior (Figs. 4 and 5). Quartz-type analy-
ses (Fig. 6) and tourmaline compositions (Figs. 7
and 8) indicate that the sandstones were probably
derived largely from granites with some input from
metasediments. The predominance of quartz in the
sandstones may indicate severe chemical weathering
in Neoproterozoic times, and may also be partly as-
96 C. Anani / Sedimentary Geology 128 (1999) 8398
Fig. 8. (a) Unzoned tourmalines. (b) Zoned tourmalines. CaFeMg diagram (in molecular proportions) for tourmalines from Voltaian
Group sandstones. This diagram is divided into regions that dene the compositional ranges of tourmalines from different parent-rock
types after (Henry and Guidotti, 1985); 1 D Li-rich granitoid pegmatites and aplites; 2 D Li-poor granitoids and their associated
pegmatites and aplites; 3 D Ca-rich metapelites, metapsammites, and calc-silicate rocks; 4 D Ca-poor metapelites, metapsammites and
quartztourmaline rocks; 5 D metacarbonates; 6 D meta-ultramacs. See also legend of Fig. 7.
cribed to the present-day tropical weathering, and to
a possibly long transport distance.
The sandstones of Anyaboni Sandstone are mostly
subarkoses. Their QFL and QmFLt plots indicate that
the sediments were derived from both transitional
continental and craton interior sources (Figs. 4 and 5).
Dickinson and Suczek (1979) and Dickinson et al.
(1983) dened a transitional continental source as
one lying between a craton interior and an uplifted
basement. In a craton interior province, granites and
high-grade metamorphic rocks crop out in an area
of low topographic relief subjected to deep weather-
ing. An uplifted basement province is characterised
by high topographical relief which may be associated
with wrench tectonism. Quartz-types indicate that the
Anyaboni Sandstone was derived from metamorphic
source rocks (Fig. 6). The tourmaline compositions
(Figs. 7 and 8) suggest derivation from meta-sedi-
ments with a small contribution from granitic rocks.
7.2. Geological history of the Voltaian Basin
The Voltaian Basin is located on the eastern mar-
gin of the West African Craton. Sedimentation of
the Voltaian Group commenced about 1000 Ma ago,
unconformably on a cratonic basement composed of
Birimian Supergroup and Tarkwaian Group rocks.
The QFL, QmFLt, quartz-type data, and the tourma-
line data for the Anyaboni and Kwahu sandstones
coupled with the proximity of Birimian Supergroup
outcrops, suggest that the Birimian Supergroup was
a source rock for the Voltaian Group. The QFL and
QmFLt plots for the Anyaboni Sandstone suggest
that it was derived from a transitional continental as
well as craton interior. The former terrane may have
developed between rift basins in the Birimian Super-
group. The presence of one such rift zone, between
the Cape Coast basin and the KibiWinneba belt
(Hastings, 1982, 1983; Wright et al., 1985, quoted in
Leube et al., 1990), close to the study area (Fig. 1)
possibly shows up in the QFL and QmFLt plots as a
transitional continental eld.
The Birimian Supergroup was deposited in a se-
ries of sedimentary basins and volcanic belts in
which granitic rocks are widespread (Fig. 1). The
Kwahu Sandstone appears from its quartz and tour-
maline mineralogy to have been derived from a
metasedimentary facies of the Birimian Supergroup
C. Anani / Sedimentary Geology 128 (1999) 8398 97
that lay immediately to the southwest of the study
area (Fig. 1). This was probably eroded and exposed
large plutons to the south, southwest and west. These
were gradually unroofed and concurrently eroded
with the metasediments. The high quartz content
of the Voltaian Group sandstones may indicate that
parts of the source region had low relief and un-
derwent deep weathering or that transport distances
were long.
According to Cahen et al. (1984) and Petters
(1991), the Lower and Middle Voltaian Formations
are separated by an unconformity. The presence of
this unconformity is reected in the differences in
the QFL and QmFLt results for the Kwahu Sand-
stone (pre-unconformity) and Anyaboni Sandstone
(post-unconformity).
The presence of subarkosic debris in the
Anyaboni Sandstone might have been related to in-
termittent uplift within the Cape Coast Basin and
the KibiWinneba belt (Fig. 1). There seems to be
an upward decrease in maximum clast size which
may imply that the topographical relief in the source
area was decreasing with time. The source rock for
the Anyaboni Sandstone Member was most probably
metasediments in the southwestern part of the study
area (Fig. 1).
To the east, the Buem and Togo formations, lat-
eral equivalents of the Middle Voltaian Formation
(Grant, 1967), were deposited at greater topograph-
ical depths than the Voltaian Basin. Sediment could
not, therefore, have been supplied to the Voltaian
Basin at that time.
This paper has examined the sedimentology of
only part of the Voltaian Group sequence in a part of
the Voltaian Basin. Much future research is needed
before an understanding of the complex sedimento-
logical history of the basin is understood.
8. Conclusions
(1) The strata in the southeastern part of the
Voltaian Basin contain two sandstone members, the
Kwahu Sandstone in the Lower Voltaian Formation
and the Anyaboni Sandstone in the Middle Voltaian
Formation.
(2) The sandstones of the Kwahu Sandstone
Member are quartz-arenites derived from a cra-
tonic interior terrane. Their source rocks were
mostly granitic rocks with a minor contribution from
metasedimentary rocks.
(3) The sandstones of the Anyaboni Sandstone
Member are mostly subarkoses, and were derived
from craton interior and transitional terranes.
(4) The sediments of the Kwahu Sandstone Mem-
ber were possibly supplied from the Birimian Super-
group. Their high granitic content suggests supply
from the south and west of the study area, with some
contribution from metasediments to the southwest of
the study area.
(5) The Anyaboni Sandstone Member sediments
have a high metasediment-source content that was
probably derived from Birimian metasediments that
lay southwest of the study area.
(6) The difference in quartz and tourmaline min-
eralogy between the Kwahu Sandstone Member and
Anyaboni Sandstone Member might be due to tec-
tonic movements that are represented by the un-
conformity between the Lower and Middle Voltaian
formations.
Acknowledgements
This research was for the most part undertaken as
a masters thesis of the Faculty of Science, Shinshu
University, Japan. It benetted enormously from the
supervision and encouragement of Associate Pro-
fessor Fujio Kumon, and I am deeply indebted to
him. I am also grateful to Dr. K. Hoyanagi, Prof.
M. Akiyama and Dr. T. Otsuka who gave useful ad-
vice and reviewed the manuscript, to Dr K. Makino
and Dr Y. Miake who advised on the tourmaline
analyses and to the Director and staff of the Geo-
logical Survey Department of Ghana for providing
the necessary logistics for eld work. This work was
sponsored by the Japanese GovernmentMinistry of
Education, Sciences and Culture (Monbusho).
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