Inorganic geochemistry of sedimentary rocks in the catchment of river Thuringian Saale during the last 600 Ma

A literature retrieval was performed for whole rock geochemical analyses of sedimentary, magmatic and metamorphic rocks in the catchment of River Thuringian Saale for the past 600 Ma. Considering availability and coincidence with paleontological an facies data the following indicators seem suitable to detect environmental and climatic changes: biogenic P for Paleoproductivity, STI Index for weathering intensity, Ni/Co-ratio for redox conditions, relative enrichments of Co, Ba and Rb versus crustal values for volcanic activity at varying differentiation. The Mg/Ca-ratio as proxy for salinity is applicable in evaporites. The binary plot Nb/Y versus Zr/TiO2 indicates a presently eroded volcanic level of the Bohemian Massif as catchment area for the Middle Bunter, whereas higly differentiated volcanics provided source material for Neoproterozoic greywackes. A positive Eu-anomaly is limited to the Lower Bunter and implies mafic source rocks perhaps formerly located in the Bohemian Massif.