长江三角洲晚新生代沉积物磁性特征和磁性矿物及其指示意义

笔者通过对长江三角洲平原晚新生代钻孔SG7孔沉积物的粒度和磁性分析,揭示磁性矿物类型随时间的演变,探讨新构造运动、气候、海平面等对本区沉积物源、沉积环境的耦合作用。研究结果显示,上新世磁性强弱相间,且达到全剖面最强,磁性矿物为磁铁矿、磁赤铁矿、针铁矿和黄铁矿,反映本区气候暖湿,发育山间湖泊,沉积物主要来自周边白龙港玄武岩的风化产物;早更新世早期,磁性为全剖面最弱,以磁铁矿为主,反映在构造沉降作用下,发生物源改变,即主要来自贫铁的中酸性浅成岩或喷出岩,同时沉积物主要为冰期的河道相沉积,反映山间河流/冲积扇环境;早更新世晚期至晚更新世末,磁性显著增强且和沉积物粗细变化一致,粗颗粒沉积物中磁性矿物以变质岩来源的粗粒磁铁矿为主,细粒沉积物中磁性矿物见针铁矿、赤铁矿和黄铁矿,反映古地理环境逐渐向冲积平原、滨海平原演变;自晚更新世晚期出现细粒磁赤铁矿和磁铁矿,反映长江上游物源的加入。全新世沉积物磁性较更新世泥质沉积物显著增强,反映长江河口、三角洲环境。     

Use of magnetic signatures to correlate tephra layers in Holocene loessial soil profiles from a small region, SE Iceland

Rock magnetic measurements have been applied to two adjacent loessial soil sections from a small region, SE Iceland. The soils are composed of reworked locally derived sediment (including airfall tephra) and also contain several visible discrete airfall tephra layers. The main magnetic minerals in the airfall tephras are ferrimagnetic (e.g. magnetite) with paramagnetic minerals also present. The main magnetic grain sizes in the tephras are pseudo single domain. The results show that individual tephras do not have unique magnetic signatures that can be used for identification and correlation between sedimentary sequences. However, a correlation of tephra layers was achieved through the application of statistical techniques to a comprehensive dataset of magnetic parameters. Similarity coefficients and Euclidian distance measures were used to identify the best correlation between tephra layers in the two soil profiles. The technique works well providing some tephras present within both profiles have been formally identified (e.g. Oraefajokulla ad 1362) using electron microprobe analyses. Given this initial framework, the statistical analyses of the magnetic parameters can help in the identification and correlation of unknown tephras between two soil profiles.     

The influence of particle size variations on the magnetic properties of sediments from the north-eastern Irish Sea

This paper considers the magnetic properties of a range of recent and contemporary sediments from the north eastern part of the Irish Sea. Principal component ordinations of the results show a close link between magnetic property variations and particle size. The magnetic properties of a subset of samples, particles sized by a combination of sieving and pipette analysis, confirm that variations in ferrimagnetic (‘magnetite’) grain size parallel those in particle size, despite the fact that the magnetic grains in the fine grades have diameters 1–2 orders of magnitude smaller than those of the particle size fraction in which they occur. This is best explained by postulating that the fine magnetic grains occur in the clay fraction but are present in declining concentrations in the coarser grades up to 4ø as an artefact of the pipette method. Most samples have a biomodal distribution of magnetic minerals, with a coarse mode associated with heavy minerals in the sands or coarse silts, and a fine mode in the clays. Magnetic susceptibility (x) and saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM) largely pick out the coarse mode where present; anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) largely picks out the fine mode. The results open up the possibility of normalizing samples from these environments for particle size and, more specifically, clay content, by means of ARM or ARM/x values. The most likely source for the uniform and almost exclusive stable single domain magnetite, which dominates the magnetic properties of the clays, is thought to be bacterial magnetosomes. The measurements as a whole do not appear to hold much promise for discriminating sediment source types.     

Mass and magnetic properties for 3D geological and geophysical modelling of the southern Agnew–Wiluna Greenstone Belt and Leinster nickel deposits,Western Australia

Physical property measurements provide a critical link between geological observations and geophysical measurements and modelling. To enhance the reliability of gravity and magnetic modelling in the Yilgarn Craton's Agnew–Wiluna Greenstone Belt, mass and magnetic properties were analysed on 157 new rock samples and combined with an existing corporate database of field measurements. The new samples include sulfide ore, serpentinised and olivine-bearing ultramafic host-rocks, granitoid, and felsic and mafic volcanic and volcaniclastic country rock. Synthesis of the data provides a useful resource for future geophysical modelling in the region. Several rock types in the region have sufficiently distinct physical properties that a discriminant diagram is proposed to facilitate a basic classification of rock types based on physical properties. However, the accumulation of emplacement, metamorphic, hydrothermal and structural processes has complicated the physical properties of the rocks by imposing duplicate and sometimes opposing physical property trends. The data confirm that massive sulfide and ultramafic rocks have the most distinctive mass and magnetic properties but with variability imposed by their complex history. Sulfide content imposes the strongest control on densities, but can only be identified when comprising >10 vol% of the rock. The pyrrhotite-rich Ni-sulfide assemblages generally have similar magnetic properties to the host ultramafic rocks, but can have much lower susceptibilities where the thermal history of the rocks has favoured development of hexagonal pyrrhotite over monoclinic pyrrhotite. In ultramafic rocks that contain <10 vol% sulfides, density and susceptibility are primarily controlled by serpentinisation, with olivine breaking down to serpentine and magnetite in the presence of water. Serpentinisation dramatically lowered densities and increased susceptibilities, but had limited influence on the intensity of remanent magnetisation. All ultramafic rocks contain multidomain magnetite, and most contain low coercivity grains prone to overprinting by in situ viscous remanent magnetisation or drilling-induced isothermal remanent magnetisation during extraction. Despite the low coercivities, Koenigsberger ratios of 1–20 are observed indicating that viscous remanent magnetisation aligned parallel to the present Earth field must be considered in any magnetic modelling. It is also noted that coarser-grained intrusive varieties of all rock types (e.g. granite, gabbro) show remanent magnetisation intensities 1–2 orders of magnitude greater than their extrusive equivalents (felsic and basaltic volcanics).     

川西高原理县黄土磁学特征及其影响因素

川西高原河谷阶地和断陷盆地广泛分布厚层风成黄土-古土壤序列,目前对其磁学性质变化机制及古气候意义研究还很薄弱。文章对该区理县黄土-古土壤剖面进行了系统的岩石磁学研究,确定了其磁性矿物种类、含量和颗粒大小的特征及其变化规律。通过结合粒度、色度与地球化学参数,进一步探讨了理县黄土-古土壤磁性的主控因素。结果表明:1)理县剖面同时含有强磁性矿物(为磁铁矿和磁赤铁矿)以及弱磁性矿物(为赤铁矿和针铁矿);2)相对黄土层,古土壤层含有更高比例的亚铁磁性矿物;3)成土过程中生成的大量细小强磁性矿物颗粒,是古土壤层S1磁化率增加的主导因素,该模式与黄土高原相似;4)结合色度以及磁学性质,可以较为明确地区分成壤强度;(5)理县黄土剖面物源复杂,磁学特征受到沉积物来源、后期流水和气候的共同作用,利用单一磁学性质(比如磁化率)进行古气候研究会造成多解性。     

Characterization of diamictons on the basis of their mineral magnetic properties in Murchisonfjorden,Nordaustlandet, Svalbard

Different grain-size fractions of 12 lithologically defined and 2 non-defined Weichselian glacial stage diamicton units from Nordaustlandet, Svalbard were studied for their mineral magnetic properties. The applied measurements included magnetic susceptibility (χ), anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM), saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM), ‘backfield’ isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) and several of their parametric ratios. The results indicated a poor correlation between the magnetic fingerprint of dry-sieved and wet-sieved diamicton samples. The dry-sieved samples had higher χ, ARM and SIRM values, suggesting a higher concentration of ferrimagnetic grains. This was probably because washing of the samples resulted in the loss of the most fine-grained ferrimagnetic material. Both sieving methods seem to be capable of discriminating different diamictons, but they cannot be used contemporaneously. The results only partially support previous findings of the chronostratigraphic correlation of diamictons. They indicate that in suitable conditions and within a limited area it is possible to discriminate (and group) glacigenic sequences based on the magnetic signature of their fine-grained fractions in the sample. For example and based on the mineral magnetic fingerprint, a diamicton unit that was described from the marine core (MUR 09/sor1/125–150) obtained from Isvika region most probably represents diamicton material that were derived from provenance areas related to the Middle Weichselian glacial stage. It was also noted that certain mineral magnetic parameters, such as SIRM/χ and SIRM/ARM ratio, had greater potential in discriminating diamicton units than others.     

松辽盆地十屋断陷十屋地区营城组物源体系探讨

在综合分析碎屑颗粒组分、重矿物组合、砂砾岩展布和地层倾角测井等资料的基础上,探讨了十屋断陷十屋地区营城组沉积时期的物源体系特征和分布。碎屑颗粒组分和重矿物分析能指示物源区母岩类型和碎屑物质的搬运方向,砂砾岩展布能指明了碎屑物质的搬运方向和搬运途径,地层倾角测井则指示了古水流的方向。结果表明,十屋地区营城组存在三大物源体...     

Case studies on the use of temperature-dependent susceptibility for the characterisation of magneto-mineralogical changes during metamorphism

Based on three case studies we show that low-, and high-temperature measurements of magnetic susceptibility (κ(T)-curves) in combination with other mineralogical and rock magnetic methods constitute a sensitive tool for the identification of magnetic minerals. In this study, changes in mineral composition and grain texture, related to various metamorphic processes, are shown for minerals from the titanomagnetite and ilmenite-hematite series. If magnetite is associated with titanomagnetite, the shape of the κ(T)-curve at low temperature is significantly different from that of pure magnetite and pure titanomagnetite and we suspect that susceptibility measurements, especially low temperature, are sensitive to magnetic textures and superimposing effects due to different magnetic phases.     

Nonlinear effects in corundum and ilmenite in high frequency electromagnetic fields

This paper details the results of a comparative study of two materials having the same structure, but drastically different radiophysical characteristics. Corundum ceramic samples were synthesized from pure substances by firing a charge in air at 1450°C for 1 h. The second material was prepared from natural ilmenite without heat treatment using an epoxy polymer binder. Measurements of the transmission and reflection factors within the frequency range of 8–26 GHz indicate that corundum ceramic samples scatter electromagnetic radiation (EMR) exhibiting a pronounced dispersion of the reflection and transmission factors. On the contrary, ilmenite samples absorb EMR showing no dispersion at all. The differences in the radiophysical characteristics are due to the presence of magnetic impurities in the crystal lattices of corundum and ilmenite and the specific features of the spin-phonon interaction in dielectric and ferrite materials.     

Mineral magnetic properties of Holocene lake sediments and soils from the Kårsa valley,Lappland, Sweden,and their relevance to palaeoenvironmental reconstruction

A mineral magnetic study of lacustrine sediments and soils from the Kårsa valley in Lappland, Sweden was undertaken to estimate the potential of mineral magnetic techniques in elucidating the variability of climate, recorded by glacier fluctuations and soil development. Sediment cores from two lake basins receiving sediment input from a glacial outflow stream, and their respective catchments, show a mineral magnetic record that can be interpreted in terms of glacial activity and soil development. Dissolution of magnetite is indicated during periods of climatic amelioration and causes a high S-ratio. During periods of glacial advance (and colder, wetter climate) the minerogenic sediment supply is increased and magnetite is preserved in the sediment, resulting in a low S-ratio. Variations in the S-ratio can then be used as a proxy-climate indicator.     

石英尾砂对旱地表土磁性的影响及其环境意义

对安徽省凤阳县石英尾砂、受尾砂影响的表土、旱地表土和城镇表土进行了磁学测量,结果表明这4类样品的磁性特征明显不同。尽管这4类样品的磁化率均由磁铁矿主导,但旱地表土中可能含少量磁赤铁矿,石英尾砂、受尾砂影响的表土和城镇表土中可能含少量铁的氢氧化物（如纤铁矿）,受尾砂影响的表土中还含少量赤铁矿。城镇表土中磁铁矿的含量明显高于其他3类样品,受尾砂影响的表土中的磁铁矿含量介于石英尾砂和旱地表土之间。城镇表土中磁铁矿的粒径范围较宽,小于1 μm,石英尾砂中磁铁矿的粒径大于0.1 μm,旱地表土中磁铁矿的粒径小于0.1 μm,受尾砂影响的表土中磁铁矿的粒径介于旱地表土与石英尾砂的粒径之间。城镇表土的磁化率与频率磁化率呈负相关,旱地表土的磁化率与频率磁化率呈正相关,而受石英尾砂影响的表土的磁化率与频率磁化率没有明显的相关关系。在城市工业和交通等人类活动的影响下,城镇表土的磁性较旱地表土增强。而在石英砂生产这一人类活动的影响下,受尾砂影响的表土的磁性较旱地表土减弱,这是由石英尾砂中磁性矿物的含量较旱地表土4的少所致。     

Magnetoacoustic emission of magnetites

We consider the parameters of magnetoacoustic emission (MAE) in magnetites from the ores of the Urals and West Siberia. It has been shown that the differences in signals are related to various types of the domain structures of samples, whose fixity is determined by the formation conditions of magnetite and the effect of superimposed physicochemical processes. On the basis of field parameters, the magnetites have been divided into three types depending on the area of magnetic fields with MAE. These parameters can serve as the typomorphic features of magnetites of different genesis.     

Provenance discrimination of fine sediments by mid-infrared spectroscopy: Calibration and application to fluvial palaeo-environmental reconstruction

Determining sediment provenance allows a better understanding of fluvial palaeo-dynamics, and identifying involved watersheds, at broad spatio-temporal scales. Conventional approaches for source identification are usually based on the physical, mineralogical, geochemical, magnetic or isotopic properties of sediments. Rapid, non-destructive and, in well-established contexts, highly accurate, mid-infrared spectroscopy is an alternative method for investigating sediment sources. The present research objectives are: (i) to use the mid-infrared spectroscopy method to discriminate the provenance of fine sediments, by applying discriminant analysis on a large set of reference samples from three different watersheds in the Upper Rhine area (associated with the Rhine, Ill and Vosges tributaries); (ii) to clarify whether the provenance spectra signatures are influenced by riverine depositional contexts (bars versus banks) and, to some extent, by grain size and/or high organic matter content; and (iii) to apply the mid-infrared spectroscopy – discriminant analysis method to a study of fluvial palaeo-dynamics and determine the provenance of palaeo-channel infillings. Three main sedimentary sources, divided into eight sub-categories, have been characterized by 196 modern reference samples from 78 collecting sites. Discriminant analysis displayed a strong separating power by classifying correctly the origin of samples without any inter-group overlap, independently from the geomorphological context (bar or bank) and associated slight changes in organic matter contents or grain size. Mid-infrared spectroscopy – discriminant analysis investigations of the palaeo-channel infill, complemented by radiocarbon dates and mineralogical data, allowed reconstructing general trends for the local morpho-sedimentary dynamics over the last ca 12 millennia.     

Micro- to nano-scale characterization of martite from a banded iron formation in India and a lateritic soil in Brazil

The pseudomorphic transformation of magnetite into hematite (martitization) is widespread in geological environments, but the process and mechanism of this transformation is still not fully understood. Micro- and nano-scale techniques—scanning electron microscopy, focused ion bean transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy—were used in combination with X-ray diffraction, Curie balance and magnetic hysteresis analyses, as well as Mössbauer spectroscopy on martite samples from a banded iron formation (2.9 Ga, Dharwar Craton, India), and from lateritic soils, which have developed on siliciclastic and volcanic rocks previously affected by metamorphic fluids (Minas Gerais, Brazil). Octahedral crystals from both samples are composed of hematite with minor patches of magnetite, but show different structures. The Indian crystals show trellis of subhedral magnetite hosting maghemite in sharp contact with interstitial hematite crystals, which suggests exsolution along parting planes. Grain boundary migrations within the hematite point to dynamic crystallization during deformation. Dislocations and fluid inclusions in hematite reflect its precipitation related to a hydrothermal event. In the Brazilian martite, dislocations are observed and maghemite occurs as Insel structures and nano-twin sets. The latter, typical for the hematite, are a transformation product from maghemite into hematite. For both samples, a deformation-induced hydrothermally driven transformation from magnetite via maghemite to hematite is proposed. The transformation from magnetite into maghemite comprises intermediate non-stoichiometric magnetite steps related to a redox process. This study shows that martite found in supergene environment may result from earlier hypogene processes.     

磁铁矿中磁性物成分的测定及可选性评价

对磁铁矿样品分别用磁选管和手工内磁选法进行磁选,并对原矿样品和样品的磁性物中TFe、P、S、V2O5、TiO2、SiO2、Al2O3、CaO、MgO、Sn、Cu、Pb、Zn的含量进行测定.分析结果表明,采用手工内磁选和磁选管对磁铁矿进行磁选所得的结果一致,为了简便操作,本文均采用手工内磁选法选出磁性物.A矿区磁性铁(mFe)含量(22.42％)比B矿区mFe含量(22.59％)低,但A矿区样品的磁性物中TFe含量(磁铁精矿品位)大于66％,比B矿区样品的磁性物中TFe含量(小于57％)高,A矿区的磁铁矿选矿效果明显好于B矿区,说明对磁性物中TFe含量的测定能够更好地反映矿石的可选性.原矿样品中P、S的含量分别为0.328％、0.271％,而样品的磁性物中P、S的含量为0.021％、＜0.005％,均达到铁矿石冶炼标准;原矿样品中V2O5、TiO2的含量分别为0.156％、1.37％,而样品的磁性物中V2O5、TiO2含量分别为0.823％、13.62％,达到了铁矿石冶炼标准.原矿样品的(CaO+MgO)/(SiO2 +Al2O3)值为0.876,为自熔性矿石,而其磁性物的(CaO+ MgO)/(SiO2+Al2O3)值为0.453,为酸性矿石.由此说明,单纯测定原矿样品中的各成分尚不能对磁铁矿的可选性进行科学性评价,只有进一步测定磁铁矿的磁性物中各成分的含量,才能够对磁铁矿进行可靠的评价.本文通过对磁铁矿中磁性物成分的测定,为磁铁矿的选冶性能提供了新的评价方法.     

长江与黄河河口沉积物磁性特征对比的初步研究

根据2001年8月和9月分别采自黄河与长江河口沉积物样品的磁性测量和粒度分析,探讨长江和黄河河口沉积物的磁性特征及其差异。长江河口沉积物中亚铁磁性物质的含量高于黄河口,但长江口与黄河口沉积物中都是亚铁磁性矿物主导了样品磁性特征,亚铁磁性矿物晶粒都以假单畴-多畴为主。相比黄河口沉积物,长江口沉积物不完整反铁磁性物质对磁性特征的的贡献较小。长江与黄河河口的这种磁性特征主要反映了不同的沉积物来源的控制影响。此外,无论是长江口还是黄河口沉积物,磁性参数χARM、χfd%与沉积物细粒级组分存在显著的相关性,表明这两个参数作为粒度的代用指标具有普遍性。     

Characterization of magnetite particles in shocked quartz by means of electron- and magnetic force microscopy: Vredefort, South Africa

Submicroscopic opaque particles from highly shocked granite-gneisses close to the core of the Vredefort impact structure have been investigated by means of micro-analytical techniques with high spatial resolution such as electron diffraction, orientation contrast imagery and magnetic force microscopy. The opaque particles have been identified as nano- to micro-sized magnetite that occur in several distinct modes. In one sample magnetite occurs along relict planar deformation features (PDFs) in quartz, generally accepted as typical shock lamellae. The magnetite particles along shock lamellae in quartz grains virtually all show uniform crystallographic orientations. In most instances, the groups of magnetite within different quartz grains are systematically misorientated such that they share a subparallel <101> direction. The magnetite groups of all measured quartz grains thus appear to have a crystallographic preferred orientation in space. In a second sample, orientations of magnetite particles have been measured in microfractures (non-diagnostic of shock) of quartz, albite and in the alteration halos, (e.g. biotite grains breaking down to chlorite). The crystallographic orientations of magnetite particles are diverse, with only a minor portion having a preferred orientation. Scanning electron microscopy shows that magnetite along the relict PDFs is invariably associated with other microcrystalline phases such as quartz, K-feldspar and biotite. Petrographic observations suggest that these microcrystalline phases crystallized from locally formed micro-melts that intruded zones of weakness such as microfractures and PDFs shortly after the shock event. The extremely narrow widths of the PDFs suggest that heat may have dissipated rapidly resulting in melts crystallizing relatively close to where they were generated. Magnetic force microscopy confirms the presence of magnetic particles along PDFs. The smallest particles, <5 μm with high aspect ratios 15:1 usually exhibit intense, uniform magnetic signals characteristic of single-domain magnetite. Consistent offsets between attractive and repulsive magnetic signals of individual single-domain particles suggest consistent directions of magnetization for a large proportion of particles. Received: 16 November 1998 / Accepted: 17 May 1999     

南海西北部陆坡H1事件的磁学记录

Heinrich 1(H1)事件,是末次冰消期内一个重要的千年尺度的古气候事件.南海不同海域沉积物磁学性质对H1事件的响应存在差异,因而磁学参数的多解性应予以关注.本文选取南海西北部陆坡具有良好年龄框架的PC338岩芯顶部370 cm段(底部年龄20. 5 ka B. P.),进行详细的磁学性质分析,并利用IRM获得曲线组分分离方法和高场磁化率值等参数,试图为区域气候变化的沉积物磁学响应给出合理解释.结果表明,在H1事件发生时,碎屑成因的磁铁矿(IRM (C2+C3))和顺磁性组分(xp)明显降低,这反映了源区化学风化的减弱,指示南海北部冷干的气候条件;另外, H1事件发生时,南海西北部陆坡的赤铁矿含量较高,这与海平面降低造成的红河源区的赤铁矿输入增多和暴露的大陆架处于氧化条件有关. H1事件时期,东亚季风区呈现末次冰消期以来最干旱的气候特征,主要受控于大西洋经向翻转环流的减弱迫使热带辐合带南移和热带太平洋类La Nina的气候条件这两个因素.     

Geochemical evaluation of Niger Delta sedimentary organic rocks: a new insight

A geochemical evaluation of Niger Delta organic matter was carried out using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) sample preparation procedure. Comparison of geochemical significance of gas chromatographic data of rock extracts of SFE with those of Soxhlet extraction method from previous studies was made in order to establish the usefulness of SFE in geochemical exploration. The assessment of geochemical character of the rock samples from the comparison and interpretation of other geochemical parameters were used to give more insights into understanding the source rocks characteristics of onshore and shelf portions of the Niger Delta Basin. The results of the gas chromatographic (GC) analysis of the rock extracts across the lithostratigraphic units show that Pr/Ph, Pr/nC₁₇, Pr/nC₁₈, CPI and odd/even preference ranged from 0.07 to 12.39, 0.04 to 6.66, 0.05 to 13.80, 0.12 to 8.4 and 0.06 to 8.12, respectively. The Rock-Eval pyrolysis data and geochemical ratios and parameters calculated from the GC data showed that most of the samples are mature and have strong terrestrial provenance while a few samples have strong marine provenance. The few marine source rocks are located in the deeper depth horizon. Pr/Ph and standard geochemical plots indicate that most of samples were derived from organic matter deposited in less reducing conditions, i.e. more of oxidizing conditions while a few samples have predominantly influence of reducing conditions. The results of trace metal analysis of older samples from Agbada Formation also indicate marine and mixed organic matter input deposited in less reducing conditions. The results obtained in this study are comparable with those obtained from previous studies when Soxhlet extraction method was used and also indicated the presence of more than one petroleum systems in the Niger Delta.     

Understanding heavy mineral dynamics using magnetic fingerprinting technique: a case study of North Maharashtra Coast,India

Environmental magnetic and grain size measurements were carried out on sand samples collected from nine sand pits along a 20-km coastal stretch of Arnala Beach, North Maharashtra, India. This study sets out to identify the potential heavy (magnetite) mineral-rich sites in a dynamic coastal system and decipher their enrichment processes. Combination of rock-magnetic and grain size data of the sand pits mirrors the differential heavy mineral fluxes along the coast. Two distinct and well-separated bands of magnetite enrichments were identified. The upper magnetite band (UMB) is more pronounced and shows uniform magnetite enrichment representing the present-day beach erosional state. A well-separated lower magnetite band (LMB) had highest magnetite concentration at Vaitarna River mouth and depicts a strong decrease in magnetite content and clastic (mean) grain size away from the river mouth. This suggests that the NW–SE-directed coast-parallel sediment transport in the past played a major role in the formation of magnetite-rich layers of LMB. A non-enriched zone (NEZ) between UMB and LMB is magnetically weak and showed large variations in clastic grain sizes and possibly represents a period of sediment accretion. A strong correlation between magnetite concentration and magnetic grain size was found for all the sand pit samples, with highest magnetic susceptibility values being dominated by coarser magnetic grains. This relationship needs to be further exploited as a potential fingerprint to identify the heavy mineral lag deposits in coastal environments. Our study explores the potential of using environmental magnetism and sedimentological methods to identify the potential areas enriched in heavy (magnetic) minerals and explains the mechanism of their formation.