Mineralogical and Geochemical Compositions of Sedimentary Rocks in the Gosau Group (Late Cretaceous), Grünbach–Neue Welt Area, Austria

Sedimentary rocks of the Gosau Group in the Grünbach–Neue Welt area (Eastern Alps, Austria) were analyzed to determine their mineralogical and geochemical compositions. This study includes the following: (1) the identification of major minerals using X-ray diffraction (XRD), (2) the analysis of major, minor, and trace elements via X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and (3) the quantification of total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total sulfur (TS) using an Elementar Unicube analyzer. Samples were collected from four artificial trenches and one outcrop in Maiersdorf, spanning the Grünbach and Piesting formations deposited during a terrestrial-to-marine transition in the upper Santonian to Campanian (Late Cretaceous). The dominant minerals—quartz, muscovite, illite, and calcite—exhibit relative abundances corresponding with variations in major oxide concentrations. Minor elements show variability but generally follow consistent trends. Trace and rare earth elements display greater variability but similar patterns, with a broader distribution in the Grünbach Formation. Elevated TOC, TN, and TS values are observed near the formation boundary and in the Piesting formation. These results offer the mineralogical and geochemical characterization of the strata, and lay a foundation for further investigations into the paleoenvironmental and basin evolution of the Gosau Group in the region, providing a comparative framework for Gosau basins across the Eastern Alps.