MICROMETEORITES FROM BARREIRAS GROUP AND PÓS-BARREIRAS SEDIMENTS,

NORTHEAST REGION OF PARÁ STATE, AMAZÔNIA, BRAZIL – FIRST SCIENTIFIC NEWS. Maurício
S. Borges1, Samuel M. F. Borges2, Luciana C. Brelaz3, Claudio N. Lamarão1, Ana P. P. Corrêa1; 1Institute of Geo-
sciences, Federal University of Pará, Augusto Corrêa Street, n° 01, Guamá. Zip Code: 66.075-110. Belém, Pará,
Brazil. Email: mauricio@ufpa.br; 2ESF Alto Pereru, Rural Zone, City Hall of São Caetano de Odivelas, Pará, Bra-
zil; 3PETREC, Hélio Almeida Street S/N, Room 43, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Zip Code: 21941-614.

Introduction: In this work, we describe for the

first time, the records of fossil micrometeorites includ-
ed in rocks of Tertiary and Quaternary ages arranged in
the Northeast Region of the State of Pará, belonging to
the Barreiras Group and Pós-Barreiras Sediments. The
most recent studies point to Miocene, Meso-Miocene
and Mio-Pliocene ages for the Barreiras Group [1, 2, 3]
and Pleistocene to Late Pleistocene-Holocene [4, 5] for
Pós-Barreiras Sediments in which micrometeorites are
present. Thus, the inflows records of extraterrestrial
materials in these Geological Units were unknown in
the Amazon Region and perhaps in Brazil, especially
for the Barreiras Group. Based on these new data, there
is clear evidence of the partial contribution of extrater-
restrial material in the final sedimentary composition of Figure 01. Spherical micrometeorite image from Bar-
the siliciclastic stratigraphic successions of the Upper reiras Group obtained by SEM using secondary elec-
Tertiary and Quaternary ages in the Northeast Region trons.
of the State of Pará.
Methods. The research consisted of fieldwork for
the samples collection for this specific purpose of look-
ing for micrometeorites, from the year 2010 to the pre-
sent. The recovered material was submitted to optical
investigations through the petrographic microscope and
subsequently researched by scanning electron micros-
copy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-
EDS Analysis).
Simplified Geological Setting. The Barreiras
Group in Northeast of the Pará Region has marine in-
fluence in this beds, that are marked “by the action of
tidal currents” [6]. According [5] Pós-Barreiras sedi-
mentation is associated with a fluvial paleovalley.
Expedited description of the Barreiras Group
micrometeorites. From the geometric point of view,
the micrometeorites with spherical three-dimensional Figure 02. Spherical micrometeorite image obtained
forms (cosmic spherules) dominate (Figs. 01 and 02). by SEM using secondary electrons.
However, sub-spherical and prolate forms are common
(Fig. 03). Some of them have crystal trails. There are Pós-Barreiras Micrometeorites. The micrometeorites
specimens that appear to be "hollow" (Fig. 04). The observed in the Pós-Barreiras Sediments have a domi-
spherules are composed on their surface by crystals nantly perfect spherical shape tendency (Fig. 05) and
whose arrangements produce textures ranging from they are generally smaller than those present in the
anhedral to well-defined euhedral. The results of the rocks of the Barreiras Group.
chemical microanalyses are varied, however, typically
include: O (28.50%), Al (1.35%), Si (1.17%), Fe
(68.18%), Ni (0.60%), Pt (0.20%), among others.

Figure 03. Prolate micrometeorite image from Bar-
reiras Group obtained by SEM, using backscattering
electrons. It is possible observe the linear orientation of
the some crystal clues
Figure 04. Micrometeorite with "hollow" appearance.
SEM image obtained using backscattering eletrons.
Figure 05. Micrometeorite collected in a sample of
Pós-Barreiras Sediments. Microcratering is visible.
SEM image processed using secondary eletrons.
They have textural variations on their surfaces,
however, with a smoother tendency. But, it is not un-
common anhedral and even circular or elongated tex-
tures for some crystals. The chemical microcomposi-
tion presented, in general, is: C (5.84%), O (46.78%),
Al (29.87%), Si (0.13%), Fe (1.31%), others elements
(16.07%).
Conclusions. This work describes for the first time
the occurrence of micrometeorites in stratigraphic units
of the Upper Tertiary and Quaternary in the Northeast
of the Pará State. These occurrences indicate the clear
contribution of material inflow from extraterrestrial
provenance to the final balance on the sedimentary
composition of the deposits related to this geological
time. The morphology and microscopic appearance and
textures of the cosmic spherules is diagnostic of mi-
crometeorites, as well as the textural arrangements of
the surfaces of many of them. The occurrences of Fe-
Ni and Pt-based compositions also point to this conclu-
sion. The data also indicate the principle that in most
cases they are type I spherules [7, among others].
Acknowledgements. This work was supported by
the Instituto de Estudos Superiores da Amazônia
(IESAM), during 2010 to 2014, and later by the
Estácio Educational Group, between 2014 to 2017. We
thank to the Geology Faculty from Federal University
of Pará (UFPA) and the Postgraduate Program in Natu-
ral Risk Management and Disasters in the Amazon
(PPGGRD), for allowing the execution of the field
works, since 2018. We are grateful to the Laboratory of
Chemistry Microanalysis of UFPA Geosciences Insti-
tute, for the support in the acquisition of data MEV-
EDS and the Company Vale S.A, as well as to the In-
stituto Tecnológico Vale, for the assignment of non-
costly use of the Scanning Electron Microscopy
Equipment. We are also grateful to the ICJ-UFPA col-
league and the Pará State Attorney, Dr. Dennis Ver-
bicaro Soares, for the long academic and “Geolaw”
discussions that possibly would hatch of the work.
References: [1] Arai M. et al. (1988) Anais do 35°
Congresso Brasileiro de Geologia, Belém, V.2, 738-
752. [2] Arai M. (2006) Geol. USP. Sér. Cient. São
Paulo, V.6, Nº 2, 1-6. [3] Rossetti D. F. (2006) 43º
Congresso Brasileiro de Geologia, Aracaju. Evolução
Sedimentar Miocênica no Norte do Brasil. 16 p. [4] Sá
J. H. S. (1969) Boletim do Instituto de Geologia, 3,
21-36. [5] Tatumi S. H. et al. (2008). Revista Brasilei-
ra de Geociências, 38(3), 514-524. [6] Rossetti D. F.
and Góes A. M. (2007). XI Congresso da ABEQUA,
Belém, Processos de Maré na Formação Barreiras,
Estado de Alagoas, CD-ROM. [7] Genge M. J. et al.
(2017) Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 218, 167-
200.