The Espanola Formation of the Paleoproterozoic Huronian Supergroup is a mixed carbonate-siliciclastic succession that is well exposed in the Bruce Mines-Elliot Lake Area, Ontario, Canada. The siliciclastic portion of the formation is mainly dominated by shale with subordinate content of wake and arkose. Elemental geochemical analysis of the rocks was conducted in order to decipher their provenance, paleo-weathering conditions, and plate tectonic setting. The analyzed Espanola Formation samples display steep REE distribution patterns with high La_N/Yb_N ratios ranging from 3.68 to 20.83 (average La_N/Yb_N = 16.4), and are characterized by consistently negative Eu anomalies (average Eu/Eu* = 0.69). Furthermore, on the La-Th-Sc ternary model, the samples cluster around the average granodiorite and tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) compositions with a clear linear trend toward felsic sources. A similar distribution and trend are also displayed on the Co/Th and La/Sc ratio plot. Such geochemical characteristics indicate derivation from an exposed upper continental crust of granodioritic and TTG compositions, namely the Archean Superior Province to the north, with minor contributions from mafic volcanic and/or sedimentary rocks, as further demonstrated by provenance discriminant models (La-Th-Sc and Co/Th-La/Sc). The source rocks were subjected to relatively low to moderate chemical weathering as reflected by their generally low chemical index of alteration values (average CIA = 62.90). Tectonic discriminant models (K₂O/ Na₂O-SiO₂ and SiO₂/Al₂O3-K₂O/Na₂O) indicate significant contributions of siliciclastic sediments from sources within a stable passive continental margin, with minor contributions from an active continental margin and continental island arcs. The Zr/Sc-Th/Sc model further confirms that the composition of the analyzed Espanola Formation siliciclastic samples was mainly controlled by tectonic setting and provenance with minimal influence of sediment recycling.

古元古代Huronian超群的Espanolaa地层是碳酸盐-硅质碎屑混合演替，在加拿大安大略省的布鲁斯矿山-埃利奥特湖地区有很好的暴露。地层的硅质碎屑部分主要由页岩所主导，其次要成分是苏醒和核糖。对岩石进行了元素地球化学分析，以了解其出处，古风化条件和板块构造背景。分析后的Espanola地层样品显示陡峭的REE分布模式，具有高La _N / Yb _N比，范围为3.68至20.83（平均La _N / Yb _N= 16.4），并且特征在于始终为负的Eu异常（平均Eu / Eu * = 0.69）。此外，在La-Th-Sc三元模型上，样品聚集在平均花岗闪长石和斜长石-长白铁矿-碎屑闪长岩（TTG）组成周围，并具有明显的向长丝质线性趋势。Co / Th和La / Sc比图上也显示了类似的分布和趋势。此类地球化学特征表明其来源于花岗二叠纪和TTG成分的裸露的上陆壳，即北部的太古宙优质省，而镁铁质火山岩和/或沉积岩的贡献较小，如物源判别模型进一步证实（La-Th- Sc和Co / Th-La / Sc）。源岩经历了相对较低至中等的化学风化，这表现为它们的蚀变值通常较低（平均CIA = 62.90）。构造判别模型（K₂ O / Na ₂ O-SiO ₂和SiO ₂ / Al ₂ O3-K ₂ O / Na ₂ O）表示来自稳定的被动大陆边缘内源的硅质碎屑沉积物的显着贡献，而来自活跃大陆边缘和大陆的贡献较小岛弧。Zr / Sc-Th / Sc模型进一步证实，分析的Espanolaa硅质碎屑样品的成分主要受构造背景和物源控制，而对沉积物回收的影响最小。