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Provenance identification and geology

The source area and origin of sedimentary material, including the type of rocks eroded, the tectonic setting of the source, and the conditions of weathering and transport. Provenance analysis uses the composition, texture, and geochemistry of sedimentary rocks to reconstruct the nature and location of the original source rocks. It is essential for paleogeographic and tectonic reconstructions. Field: sedimentology. Example: The high feldspar content of the Paleocene Paskapoo Formation in Alberta indicates provenance from granitic and gneissic source rocks in the rising Rocky Mountains to the west.. Related terms: Detrital, Source rock, Arkose, Heavy mineral.

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  • Arkose

Sources, scope & corrections

These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.

Editorial owner
GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T15:19:42.055955+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
  • USGS Thesaurus — U.S. Geological Survey. Controlled earth-science terminology used to describe USGS information resources.
  • Glossary of Geologic Terms — U.S. National Park Service. Geologic definitions prepared by the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory.

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Common questions

What does Provenance mean in geology?
The source area and origin of sedimentary material, including the type of rocks eroded, the tectonic setting of the source, and the conditions of weathering and transport. Provenance analysis uses the composition, texture, and geochemistry of sedimentary rocks to reconstruct the nature and location of the original source rocks. It is essential for paleogeographic and tectonic reconstructions.
What is an example of Provenance?
The high feldspar content of the Paleocene Paskapoo Formation in Alberta indicates provenance from granitic and gneissic source rocks in the rising Rocky Mountains to the west.
Which earth-science field uses the term Provenance?
Provenance is used in sedimentology.
Which terms are related to Provenance?
Related terms in this reference are Detrital, Source rock, Arkose, Heavy mineral.

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