Variations in Isochore Thickness of the Ecca Sediments in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, as Deduced from Gravity Models

Gravity modelling was carried out along five profiles that traverse the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa in order to determine the depositional surface and isochore thickness of the Ecca sediments.Gravity models of the subsurface rock density reveal that the Ecca Group has a maximum vertical thickness of about 3215 ± 160 m.The maximum depositional surface(elevation)above sea level for the Ecca sediments is about 500 m,whilst the depth below sea level reaches about10000 m.Correlation of the isochore thickness maps with the depositional surfaces shows that the sediments in the basement highs were subsided,deformed,eroded and deposited in the basement lows.The basement highs served as the source area(s) for the sediments in the basement lows,thus basement highs are characterized with thin sediment cover whilst the lows have thick sediment cover.     

Geochemical Correlation Between Metasediments of the Mfongosi Group of the Natal Sector of the Namaqua-Natal Metamorphic Province, South Africa and the Ahlmannryggen Group of the Grunehogna Province, Antarctica

The whole-rock geochemistry of metamorphosed greywackes, arenites and arkoses within the Mesoproterozoic Namaqua-Natal-Maudheim Province is interpreted with the aim of establishing geochemical correlations and defining common sediment source terrains. Metasediments of the Mfongosi Group of the Natal Sector of the Namaqua-Natal Metamorphic Province were sampled from their type area in the Mfongosi Valley. Metagreywackes from the northern limits of the Mfongosi Valley, directly adjacent to the Kaapvaal Craton, show ocean island arc signatures while metagreywackes from the southern limits of the Mfongosi Valley, near the contact with the Madidima Thrust of the Natal nappe zone, show mainly active continental margin signatures. Interleaved, geochemically distinct low-Ca+Na, high-K metamorphosed arkoses to lithic arkoses indicate a minor passive margin sediment component. Geochemical classification of low-grade Ahlmannryggen Group greywackes, arenites and arkoses of the Grunehogna Province, Antarctica, indicates both active and passive continental margin sediment sources. An oceanic island arc signature is not evident in Ahlmannryggen Group data. The active continental margin signature in both Natal Sector and Grunehogna Province metasediments potentially provides for a common link between these terranes. Discriminant Function Analysis, using three pre-defined provenance sub-sets within the Mfongosi Group and two pre-defined provenance sub-sets within the Ahlmannryggen Group, indicate that metasediments with active continental margin signatures from both groups are geochemically identical, implying that the active continental margin of the Grunehogna Province shed immature sediments westwards (African azimuths) into the developing, narrow or restricted Mesoproterozoic ‘Mfongosi Basin.’ This was accompanied by minor sediment influx from a stable continental platform, potentially the Kaapvaal Craton. Oblique and diachronous collision, initiated in the southwestern portions of the combined Natal Sector/Grunehogna Province system produced a laterally variable Mfongosi Group, which formed in the ‘Mfongosi Basin’. Coarse-grained sediments dominated in its eastern portions while basalts with thin sapropelite units dominated in its western portions.     

内蒙古西乌旗地区下二叠统寿山沟组泥页岩有机地球化学特征——以MXD1井为例

本文采用岩石热解、饱和烃色质、芳烃色质等测试方法,首次对内蒙二连盆地西乌旗地区MXD1井钻遇的二叠统寿山沟组二段深灰色、灰黑色泥页岩样品进行了系统的有机地球化学分析,对烃源岩的沉积环境、母质来源及有机质类型和有机质成熟度等科学问题进行了深入研究.样品的正构烷烃特征表明该段的有机质受到生物降解作用的影响较小.规则甾烷相对...     

Late Quaternary glaciation in Southern Africa: moraine ridges and glacial deposits at Mount Enterprise in the Drakensberg of the Eastern Cape Province,South Africa

Late Quaternary moraines and diamictons containing striated clasts are described from near Elliot in the Drakensberg of South Africa. An equilibrium line altitude (ELA) of 2109 m is suggested for the palaeoglacier associated with the innermost moraine. This glacier was fed by a very extensive snowblow area and the ELA may reflect the temperature–precipitation–wind ELA rather than the temperature–precipitation ELA and be considerably below the ‘regional’ ELA. Mean annual air temperatures when glaciation occurred were probably at least 10.0°C below those of the present. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Geochemical Context of Gas Hydrate in the Eastern Nankai Trough

Abstract. Geochemical studies for gas hydrate, gas and organic matter collected from gas hydrate research wells drilled at the landward side of the eastern Nankai Trough, offshore Tokai, Japan, are reported. Organic matter in the 2355 m marine sediments drilled to Eocene is mainly composed of Type III kerogen with both marine and terrigenous organic input. The gas hydrate-bearing shallow sediments are immature for hydrocarbon generation, whereas the sediments below 2100 mbsf are thermally mature. The origins of gases change from microbial to thermogenic at around 1500 mbsf.
Carbon isotope compositions of CH₄ and CO₂, and hydrocarbon compositions consistently suggest that the CH₄ in the gas hydrate-bearing sediments is generated by microbial reduction of CO₂. The δ¹³C depth-profiles of CH₄ and CO₂ suggest that the microbial methanogenesis is less active in the Nankai Trough sediments compared with other gas hydrate-bearing sediments where solid gas hydrate samples of microbial origin were recovered. Since in situ generative-potential of microbial methane in the Nankai Trough sediments is interpreted to be low due to the low total organic carbon content (0.5 % on the average) in the gas hydrate-bearing shallow sediments, upward migration of microbial methane and selective accumulation into permeable sands should be necessary for the high concentration of gas hydrate in discrete sand layers.     

Mineralogy of Early Cambrian Ni‐Mo Polymetallic Black Shale at the Sancha Deposit,South China: Implications for Ore Genesis

The mineralogy of the Early Cambrian Ni–Mo polymetallic black shale ores at the Sancha deposit, South China, was investigated to better the understanding of the complex ore genesis by optical microscope, electron microprobe, and scanning electron microscope. Analytical results show that the sulfides in the ore bed mainly comprise C/MoS₂ mixed‐layer phase (MoSC), millerite, and pyrite. Of these, MoSC and millerite are the main ore minerals of Mo and Ni, respectively. Pyrite is subdivided into six types based on its morphology, occurrence, relationship to Ni‐ and Mo‐bearing minerals, and chemical composition. Many millerite crystals cut early‐formed MoSC, implying that these two minerals formed at different stages. The concentrations of biogenic elements (e.g., Sb) in the MoSC are high compared with those in millerite, implying a close relationship between MoSC and organic matter. These data provide a new and improved understanding of the complex ore genesis at the Sancha deposit, and can be applied to other black‐shale‐hosted mineral deposits worldwide.     

An evaporitic facies in Neoproterozoic post-glacial carbonates: The Gifberg Group, South Africa

A geological study of the hitherto poorly described Neoproterozoic Gifberg Group, with emphasis on lithogeochemistry and O, C and Sr isotopic composition of the carbonate-dominated Widouw Formation (Vredendal Outlier, westernmost South Africa) revealed that the entire group is an equivalent of the relatively well constrained Port Nolloth Group in the external, paraautochthonous part of the Pan-African Gariep Belt further north. Thus, the Vredendal Outlier can be regarded as the southern extension of the Port Nolloth Zone. Two diamictite units are recognised in the Vredendal Outlier, which can be correlated respectively with the c. 750 Ma Kaigas Formation diamictite and the 583 Ma, syn-Gaskiers Numees Formation diamictite in the Gariep Belt proper. The dominating carbonate unit in the studied area is post-glacial with respect to the older of the two diamictite units. The combined textural, structural and geochemical evidence suggests that parts of the variably dolomitised limestone succession represent former evaporite beds. Sedimentation in a restricted, very shallow and proximal basin led to a wide range in C isotope ratios (δ¹³C_PDB from − 4.2 to + 4.8‰), very high Sr concentrations (derived from original anhydrite) and initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios that are significantly higher (0.70785) than those of coeval seawater. As C and Sr isotopes are commonly used for chemostratigraphic correlation, and high Sr concentrations in Neoproterozic carbonates are often interpreted as evidence of former aragonite, the findings of this study should be used as warning against uncritical use of geochemical and isotopic parameters for describing ancient seawater composition. Thus C and Sr isotope ratios alone in Neoproterozoic carbonates may be less powerful proxies of ancient seawater composition, and high Sr contents are not necessarily indicative of an “aragonite sea”, as previously inferred.     

祁连山冻土区木里煤田侏罗系烃源岩地球化学特征

摘要：为了查明祁连山冻土区木里煤田天然气水合物的气源,从QH 1、QH 2、QH 3井采集侏罗系样品44块,在常规的岩石热解和有机碳分析的基础上,进行GC MS分析和显微组分镜下鉴定。样品TOC在14%~166%之间,Ro为071%~079%;泥岩TI大于40,煤小于0。正构烷烃呈前峰型分布,主峰碳为C17-C19,Pr/Ph普遍大于11;三环萜烷以C19TT-C20TT为主峰,C24Te对C26TT有绝对优势;甾烷系列C27-C28-C29甾烷呈反“L”形分布;藿烷系列C31升藿烷占优势,C34、C35升藿烷含量低且G/C30H低,大部分小于02。结果表明,该区侏罗系烃源岩基本处于成熟阶段,有机质为Ⅱ2型-Ⅲ型,主要来自陆相高等植物输入,为河湖沼泽相沉积。有机质丰度较高,属中等-好烃源岩。综合分析认为,研究区侏罗系烃源岩处于成熟度阶段但未到主生气期,不是研究区水合物主力气源岩。     

川东焦石坝地区页岩气特征及其意义

焦石坝地区五峰组-龙马溪组页岩富集有大量的天然气,但针对页岩气地球化学特征研究还较薄弱,其蕴含的地质意义不甚明确.通过页岩气组分及其碳同位素特征和页岩干酪根的碳同位素特征分析,讨论了页岩气的来源、成因类型和完全倒转的碳同位素分布特征.五峰组-龙马溪组页岩具有很好的生烃能力、有机质丰度与含气量的关系有明显的正相关性、甲烷与干酪根相似的碳同位素特征、地层的超压特征等,综合表明研究区天然气应为页岩自生自储的页岩气;页岩气的甲烷含量均超过98%,其碳同位素平均为-29.93‰,反映了成熟度已经达到过成熟干气阶段;相对稳定的ln（C₁/C₂）和快速增大的ln（C₂/C₃）揭示其成因主要为二次裂解气;页岩气碳同位素完全倒转的分布特征主要受到在相对封闭环境中的原油裂解生气作用的影响,其完全倒转的碳同位素分布特征也反映了研究区良好的页岩气保存、富集条件.      

黑龙江省达连河油页岩地球化学特征及成因探讨

论述了达连河含煤段油页岩及油页岩段油页岩的地球化学特征,探讨了两套油页岩成因。这两套油页岩地球化学性质有很多相似之处,主要表现为油页岩都属于中熔或难熔的硅质灰分,SiO₂、Al₂O₃及Fe₂O₃含量很高;无机元素 Mn/Ti小于0.1,Sr/Ba为0.1～0.5,V/Ni为2.6～7.0;有机质类型以腐泥腐殖型为主,正构烷烃OEP值为1.55～3.67,具奇碳数优势,主峰碳为nC₂₃和C₂₉,Pr/Ph比值平均高达2.30,具强烈的姥鲛烷优势,Pr/nC₁₇比值为1.18～3.20,说明这两套油页岩都形成于淡水、近岸及弱氧化-弱还原的湖沼相沉积环境。但含煤段油页岩沉积时期高温、湿润的古气候条件下的喜湿植物面貌,使油页岩母质类型具有较多的富氢组分,这是造成两套油页岩品质差异的主要原因。     

Paleoenvironmental and Human Behavioral Implications of the Boegoeberg 1 Late Pleistocene Hyena Den, Northern Cape Province, South Africa

Boegoeberg 1 (BOG1) is located on the Atlantic coast of South Africa, 850 km north of Cape Town. The site is a shallow rock shelter in the side of a sand-choked gully that was emptied by diamond miners. Abundant coprolites, chewed bones, and partially digested bones implicate hyenas as the bone accumulators. The location of the site, quantity of bones, and composition of the fauna imply it was a brown hyena nursery den. The abundance of Cape fur seal bones shows that the hyenas had ready access to the coast. Radiocarbon dates place the site before 37,000 ¹⁴C yr ago, while the large average size of the black-backed jackals and the presence of extralimital ungulates imply cool, moist conditions, probably during the early part of the last glaciation (isotope stage 4 or stage 3 before 37,000 ¹⁴C yr ago) or perhaps during one of the cooler phases (isotope substages 5d or 5b) within the last interglaciation. Comparisons of the BOG1 seal bones to those from regional Middle Stone Age (MSA) and Later Stone Age (LSA) archeological sites suggest (1) that hyena and human seal accumulations can be distinguished by a tendency for vertebrae to be much more common in a hyena accumulation and (2) that hyena and LSA accumulations can be distinguished by a tendency for hyena-accumulated seals to represent a much wider range of individual seal ages. Differences in the way hyenas and people dismember, transport, and consume seal carcasses probably explain the contrast in skeletal part representation, while differences in season of occupation explain the contrast in seal age representation. Like modern brown hyenas, the BOG1 hyenas probably occupied the coast year-round, while the LSA people focused their coastal visits on the August–October interval when nine-to-eleven-month-old seals were abundant. The MSA sample from Klasies River Mouth Cave 1 resembles BOG1 in seal age composition, suggesting that unlike LSA people, MSA people obtained seals more or less throughout the year.     

A furrow runs through it: An example of sustainable traditional irrigation in Western Cape Province,South Africa

Water and water related matters are important issues in water scarce countries like the Republic of South Africa. This is especially true for the agricultural sector that relies heavily on the availability of water for irrigation to ensure a secure food supply. In South Africa, present day irrigation projects rely on government subsidies and are usually large undertakings beyond the reach of individuals or small communities. The sustainability of such large irrigation projects is still a matter of debate. A 100 years ago a different set of rules applied. Irrigation could only be achieved by hand-dug furrows that supplied water in relatively small quantities to small farming communities. This paper investigated such a small community, the Leeukloof farming community in the Western Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa. For the past 93 years this community has maintained a furrow that supplies water not only to farms bordering the Perdeberg River, which supplies the furrow with water, but also to farms not bordering the river. The authors try to reconstruct the changes in agricultural practices brought about by the furrow, methods of water extraction during each phase, as well as the development and role of the furrow system. The perception by the community of the necessity of this method of water extraction from the river system is also investigated. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Poverty, vulnerability and the impact of flooding in the Limpopo Province, South Africa

The article evaluates household vulnerability after the 2000 flood in two poor communities of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study analyses the forms of vulnerability which disasters such as floods present. Using data gathered from a survey of households, the study presents the impacts, coping and adapting strategies of households after the 2000 flood. The article argues that beyond the concern over socio-economic circumstances as the major determinant of household vulnerability, the management of the disaster can serve to perpetuate vulnerability.     

藏南吉隆淡色花岗岩地球化学特征、成因机制及其构造动力学意义

藏南吉隆淡色花岗岩体位于大喜马拉雅淡色花岗岩带的中部,是吉隆地区藏南拆离系剪切带上部的重要组成部分。地球化学特征显示,岩石具有高SiO_2(72.09%~74.02%)、Al_2O_3(14.54%~15.59%)和K_2O(4.55%~5.59%)含量,高K_2O/Na_2O比值(1.12~1.55)和A/CNK值(1.14~1.18),属于高钾钙碱性过铝质S型花岗岩。富集大离子亲石元素Rb和放射性生热元素U,亏损Ba、Nb、Sr和Zr等元素,具有明显的轻重稀土元素分异和Eu负异常(δEu=0.37~0.54)。具有高的Rb/Sr比值(3.6~9.7)和低的CaO/Na_2O比值(0.15~0.25),指示源区为泥质岩区;(~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr)_i和ε_(Nd)(t)变化范围分别为0.7548~0.7586和-14.0~-13.1,与大喜马拉雅变泥质岩的Sr-Nd同位素组成一致;锆石边部的ε_(Hf)(t)介于-16.0~-8.5之间,位于大喜马拉雅变泥质岩中碎屑锆石的演化线上,表明淡色花岗岩的源岩为大喜马拉雅变泥质岩。岩石(~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr)_i较高而Sr浓度较低,且随着Ba浓度的增加,Rb/Sr比值降低,表明淡色花岗岩是无水条件下白云母脱水熔融形成的,部分熔融可能与藏南拆离系(STDS)伸展拆离导致的深部构造减压密切相关。吉隆淡色花岗岩的形成反映了地壳伸展减薄背景下,构造减压导致的深部地壳物质中含水矿物(白云母)脱水熔融并沿向北伸展的STDS侵位的构造动力学过程。     

山东昌乐凹陷油页岩地球化学特征及成因探讨

山东昌乐凹陷油页岩出产于古近系五图群李家崖组,与济阳拗陷和潍北凹陷孔二段相当。利用有机地球化学方法对昌乐凹陷油页岩品质进行分析,结果显示该区油页岩有机质丰度较高、干酪根类型主要为Ⅰ型和Ⅱ₁型,处于未熟低熟阶段,具有较好的勘探开发前景。通过区域构造演化和气候变化分析,昌乐凹陷油页岩形成于郯庐断裂带左旋右旋转换期,构造活动强度较弱加之温暖湿润的气候环境促成了油页岩的发育。油页岩与煤共生于水进体系域和高水位体系域之中,油页岩成矿模式为断陷湖沼型。     

Prospects of Carboniferous Shale Gas Exploitation in the Eastern Qaidam Basin

Shale gas is a resource of emerging importance in the energy field. Many countries in the world have been making big financial investments in this area. Carboniferous shale in the eastern Qaidam Basin shows good exploration prospects, but limited research and exploration work for shale oil and gas resources has been undertaken. Geochemical analyses were performed on shale derived from the Upper Carboniferous Hurleg Formation in the eastern Qaidam Basin, Qinghai Province, and secondary electron imaging capability of a Field Emission scanning electron microscope(FE-SEM) was used to characterize the microstructure of the shale. The reservoir and exploitation potential of the studied shale was assessed by comparison with research results obtained from the Barnett Formation shale in Fort Worth Basin, North America and the Basin shale of Sichuan province. The results indicate that the eastern Qaidam Basin Carboniferous shale is high-quality source rock. There are four major microstructural types in the study area: matrix intergranular pores, dissolution pores, intergranular pores, and micro-fractures. The size of the micropores varies from 6–633 nm, the majority of which is between 39–200 nm, with a relatively small number of micro-scale pores ranging from 0.13–1 μm. The pore characteristics of the studied shales are similar to the North American and Sichuanese shales, indicating that they have good reservoir potential. No micropores are present in the organic matter, which is induced by its composition; instead we found an important lamellar structure in the organic matter. These micropores and microfractures are abundant, and are connected to natural visible cracks that form the network pore system, which controls the storage and migration of shale gas. This connectivity is favorable for shale gas exploitation, providing great scientific potential and practical value.     

柴达木盆地东部石炭系烃源岩评价

柴达木盆地东部地区石炭系暗色泥岩、碳酸盐岩、煤及炭质泥岩均发育.大量区域地质调查及有机地球化学分析表明,石炭系烃源岩主要以暗色泥岩和碳酸盐岩为主,炭质泥岩和煤可能具有生烃能力.暗色泥岩有机碳含量平均为1.13%,有机质类型以Ⅲ型和Ⅱ2型为主,为中等-好的烃源岩;碳酸盐岩有机碳含量低,平均为0.26%,有机质类型为Ⅱ1与Ⅱ2型,属中等-差的烃源岩.除都兰地区有机质成熟度过高、处于过成熟的生干气阶段外,其他地区有机质成熟度中等,正处于生、排烃高峰期,具有良好的油气勘探前景.石灰沟地区烃源岩厚度大、丰度高,暗色泥岩和碳酸盐岩分别达到了好烃源岩和中等烃源岩的标准,有机质成熟度中等,生烃潜力较大.     

柴达木盆地东部石炭系烃源岩评价

柴达木盆地东部地区石炭系暗色泥岩、碳酸盐岩、煤及炭质泥岩均发育。大量区域地质调查及有机地球化学分析表明,石炭系烃源岩主要以暗色泥岩和碳酸盐岩为主,炭质泥岩和煤可能具有生烃能力。暗色泥岩有机碳含量平均为1.13%,有机质类型以Ⅲ型和Ⅱ2型为主,为中等—好的烃源岩;碳酸盐岩有机碳含量低,平均为0.26%,有机质类型为Ⅱ1与Ⅱ2型,属中等—差的烃源岩。除都兰地区有机质成熟度过高、处于过成熟的生干气阶段外,其他地区有机质成熟度中等,正处于生、排烃高峰期,具有良好的油气勘探前景。石灰沟地区烃源岩厚度大、丰度高,暗色泥岩和碳酸盐岩分别达到了好烃源岩和中等烃源岩的标准,有机质成熟度中等,生烃潜力较大。     

青海南祁连科克岩体地球化学特征及其形成时代

为探讨南祁连喀克图蒙克山科克岩体的构造属性,对南祁连喀克图蒙克山中奥陶世科克岩体进行了详细的地球化学和定年研究。研究结果表明,该岩体主体岩性为正长花岗岩,具有高SiO_2(68.41%～73.10%)、高Al_2O_3(13.03%～14.35%)的特征,亏损高场强元素Nb、P、Ti和重稀土元素,发育明显的负Eu异常,反映岩石经历了强烈的分离结晶作用,其稀土元素配分曲线类型与壳源花岗岩相似;构造成因分类图解表明,这些花岗岩属同碰撞环境的产物。LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb测年结果表明,岩体形成于461±2.7Ma,时代为中奥陶世,表明该岩体的源岩为壳源或壳幔混合的产物。结合区域地质特征认为,该岩体为同碰撞作用的产物,佐证了南祁连地块在奥陶纪处于挤压状态,对进一步研究南祁连造山带的演化具有重要意义。