Tidal-influenced shoreline interpretation of Miocene Tanjong Formation in Imbak Canyon, Sabah, Malaysia

Khor, Wei Chung and Asis, Junaidi and Tahir, Sanudin and Musta, Baba and Bidin, Kawi and Rahmat, Rezal and Saleh, Hadianshah (2024) Tidal-influenced shoreline interpretation of Miocene Tanjong Formation in Imbak Canyon, Sabah, Malaysia. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Malaysia (77). pp. 47-57. ISSN 2637-109X

Abstract

The Tanjong Formation of Imbak Canyon, Sabah is the Early Miocene aged shallow marine unit that crops out in the Tongod district. Tanjong Formation has previously been interpreted to have been deposited in a shallow marine environment without tidal influence. This paper reinterpreted the depositional environment with emphasis on tidal deposits through newly logged sections encountered during 2019 Imbak Canyon Expedition. Proximity-driven strike orientation correlations were employed to interrelate the logged geological sections. The eight facies recognized are 1) Mudstone Facies (M), 2) Lenticular Facies (LF), 3) Wavy Facies (WF), 4) Flaser Facies (FF), 5) Hummocky Cross-Bedded Sandstone Facies (HCS), 6) Swaley Cross-Bedded Sandstone Facies (SCS), 7) Planar Cross-Bedded Sandstone Facies (PCS), and 8) Structureless Sandstone Facies (SS). Three interpreted facies associations deduced are 1) intertidal deposits, 2) middle to lower shoreface, and 3) offshore deposits. We conclude that Tanjong Formation was deposited in a macrotidal open coast setting with significant tidal imprint signatures. The identification of tidal influence within a wave-dominated system is an infrequent occurrence, yet it holds significant potential for enhancing the refinement of shallow marine models.

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