Study of the argillaceous fraction of sedimentary sequences of Meuse and Gard. Reconstitution of the diagenetic history and of the physico-chemical characteristics of the targets. Mineralogical, geochemical and isotopic aspects

Very low permeable argillaceous rocks like Callovo-Oxfordian clay-stones or Vraconian siltstones were chosen to host a research laboratory built to determine the physico-chemical properties of the host formations for a potential underground disposal of radioactive waste. Knowledge and understanding of post-sedimentary modifications are of prime importance for definition of these properties; evaluation and quantification of the post-sedimentary changes represent the aim of this study, focused specifically on the clay material of the sequences. Samples were taken from two drillings (HTM102 and MAR501). In the HTM102 core samples, illite and mixed-layers illite/smectite are the dominant clay components of most clay fractions. Systematic SEM and TEM observations and isotopic K-Ar and Rb-Sr analyses pointed to diagenetic neo-formations of carbonates (calcite, dolomite) and clays. For instance, veils and laths of authigenic clay particles around old detrital ones can distinctly be observed. The epoch, duration and extent of the diagenetic activity(ies) are difficult to evaluate because of an overall detrital contribution even in the finest granulometric fractions. However; analysis of a bentonite layer in the sequence provides a diagenetic reference for the authigenic clay material. Correlation between relative sea level and authigenesis of smectite-rich mineral has been outlined. Chemistry of diagenetic fluids also seems to be reliable with sea level variations. These observations argue in favour of diagenetic activities limited in restricted rock volumes. The case study of MAR501 is close to the HTM102 one: smectite-rich illite/smectite mixed-layers represent the major component of the clay fraction and K-Ar values argue ire the sense of a mixing between detrital and younger clay populations. Diagenetic glauconites in the sequence yield are age close to 93,7 ±0,3 Ma for Vraconian level, in agreement with stratigraphical data. The case study of a clay-filled fault within the sequence favors a confined-sequence behaviour: Indeed, no migrations of elements and especially of REE took place during fluid flows, the clay minerals preserving their geochemical properties. All the results favor reliable confinement properties of the low-permeable argillaceous sequences. (author)