The provenance of quartz-rich Sandstone in Paleogen clastic rock of Mallawa Formation From The Southern Arm Of Sulawesi

The sedimentary rocks of the Mallawa Formation found in the southern arm of Sulawesi have unique depositional environment characteristics that are highly interesting for research and remain controversial. Here, The physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the sedimentary rocks of the Mallawa Formation are used to reconstruct the depositional environment. Initially, we provide a detailed overview of the physical attributes of several sedimentary rocks from different locations within the Mallawa Formation. The physical characteristics of the sedimentary rocks of the Mallawa Formation are characterized by constituent lithologies such as mudstone, feldspathic wacke, lithic arenite, and subarkose arenite, all of which exhibit clastic textures. Sedimentary structures include parallel lamination, convolute lamination, waviness, nodules, burrowing, flame structures, flasher bedding, and reverse-graded bedding. Interpretation of provenance is crucial in siliciclastic sedimentary rocks because siliciclastic minerals and rock fragments preserved within the sedimentary rocks provide important evidence of the lithology of the source rocks. Based on petrography analysis, the provenance of sandstone in the Mallawa Formation is derived from igneous rocks with alternative source rocks being Propylitized Volcanic Rocks and metamorphic rocks with alternative source rocks being the Bantimala and Barru basement complexes.