Geochemical comparison of the Cane River Formation in Louisiana to adjacent units in east Texas

Recent findings of elevated arsenic and other elements in the Weches Formation of east Texas raise the question of similar geochemical anomalies in the Cane River Formation in western Louisiana. While arsenic levels in five counties in eastern Texas average over 100ppm, Cane River Formation samples from western Louisiana average about one half that much. Thus they are appreciably elevated compared to the global average of 13ppm for mudrocks. Arsenic correlates positively with iron due to their geochemical behaviors, and to thorium for unknown reasons. The source of the arsenic is not known.