Provenance of sediments from Barra del Tordo and Tesoro beaches, Tamaulipas State, northwestern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract The mineralogy, bulk sediment geochemical composition, and U–Pb ages of detrital zircons retrieved from the Barra del Tordo (Tordo) Tesoro beach sediments in northwestern Gulf Mexico were analyzed to determine their provenance. are mainly composed quartz, ilmenite, magnetite, titanite, zircon, anorthite. weathering proxies such as Chemical Index Alteration (CIA), Weathering (CIW), Plagioclase (PIA), reveal a moderate-to-high intensity source area. chondrite-normalized rare earth element (REE) patterns similar felsic igneous rocks, with large negative europium anomaly (Eu/Eu * = ~ 0.47–0.80 0.57–0.67 sediments, respectively). Three major zircon age groups identified i.e., Proterozoic (~ 2039–595 Ma), Mesozoic 244–70.3 Cenozoic 65.9–1.2 Ma). differences spectrum between not significant. comparison this study potential terranes suggests that studied derived Eastern Alkaline Province (EAP) Mesa Central (MCP). Similarly, likely sources for Sierra Madre Oriental (SMOr) Oaxaquia Mexico. results further indicate delivered beaches by rivers redistributed longshore currents crucial determining