Escalation of salinity levels in the quaternary aquifers of the Ganga alluvial plain,India

A detailed water quality analysis was carried out in the quaternary aquifer system of the marginal alluvial plain (Ganga Plain) in Bah Tahsil, Agra district, India. The electrical conductivity of 50 samples each from dug wells, hand pumps and tube wells was analysed for the study of salinity levels in shallow, intermediate and deep aquifers. Out of 50, 20 samples of each were also analysed for other chemical constituents such as Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻, F⁻ and TDS. The analyses show drastic changes in the salinity levels of shallow, intermediate and deep aquifers. The deep aquifers are more saline compared to the shallow and intermediate aquifers. On the contrary, the concentration of chemical constituents such as Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻ and F⁻ was more in the shallow aquifers compared to the deep aquifers. Moreover, there is an indication that the salinity and concentration of the above chemical constituents also escalate with time in each aquifer. The chemical constituents such as Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻, F⁻ and TDS range from 51 to 165 mg/l, 1 to 14 mg/l, 224 to 1,459 mg/l, 0 to 1.5 mg/l and 750 to 2,650 mg/l, respectively. Over a 3-year period, the salinity levels have sharply increased and the average F level has increased by 0.1–0.3 mg/l. An attempt has been made here to discuss the factors causing the variation and escalation of chemical constituents and salinity in the water of the three aquifers.     

Hydrogeological environment and groundwater occurrences of the alluvial aquifers in parts of the Central Ganga Plain, Uttar Pradesh, India

A detailed hydrogeological investigation was carried out in parts of the Central Ganga Plain, India, with the objective of assessing the aquifer framework and its resource potential. The area was studied because of its dual hydrogeological situation, that is water logging and soil salinization in the canal command areas and depletion of aquifers in the western part of the basin. A comprehensive investigation of the aquifer system between the Ganga River and Kali River revealed its lateral and vertical dimensions and hydrogeological characteristics. Moreover, study of the groundwater occurrences, movements and behaviour, in terms of water level fluctuation with time and space, confirms the coexistence of over exploitation as well as water logging in the area.

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Resumen Una investigación hidrogeológica detallada se llevó a cabo en partes de la Llanura de Ganga Central, India, con el objetivo de evaluar la estructura del acuífero y su potencial del recurso. El área fue estudiada por su doble situación hidrogeológica, es decir la saturación con agua y salinización de suelos en las áreas dominadas por el canal y vaciamiento de acuíferos en el la parte occidental de la cuenca. Una investigación completa del sistema acuífero entre el Río Ganga y el Río Kali, reveló sus dimensiones verticales y laterales y las características hidrogeológicas. Además, los estudios sobre la ocurrencia del agua subterránea, sus movimientos y comportamiento, en lo que se refiere al nivel de agua, y a su fluctuación en el tiempo y el espacio, confirma la co-existencia en el área de sobre- explotación así como de saturación con agua.

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Résumé L'objectif de cette étude hydrogéologique détaillée de portions de la Plaine Centrale du Gange est de déreminer la structure aquifère et la ressource potentielle. L'intérêt de la zone repose sur sa dualité du point de vue hydrogéologique, les zones influencées par le canal présentent une remontée de la nappe avec une salinisation des sols, la portion Ouest du bassin présente une baisse du niveau des aquifères. Par cette étude, le système aquifère compris entre la rivière du Gange et la rivière Kali révèle ses dimensions latérales et verticales ainsi que ses caractéristiques hydrogéologiques. De plus, l'étude des événements, des mouvements et du régime hydrogéologique affectant le niveau phréatique confirme la co-existence de surexploitation et de saturation des sols dans la région.

     

Arsenic Levels in Groundwater from Quaternary Alluvium in the Ganga Plain and the Bengal Basin, Indian Subcontinent: Insights into Influence of Stratigraphy

Late Quaternary stratigraphy and sedimentation in the Ganga Alluvial Plain and the Bengal Basin have influenced arsenic contamination of groundwater. Arsenic contaminated aquifers are pervasive within lowland organic rich, clayey deltaic sediments in the Bengal Basin and locally within similar facies in narrow, entrenched river valleys within the Ganga Alluvial Plain. These were mainly deposited during early-mid Holocene sea level rise. Arsenic was transported from disseminated sources as adsorbed on dispersed phases of hydrated-iron-oxide. These were preferentially entrapped as sediment coatings on organic-rich, fine-grained deltaic and floodplain sediments. Arsenic was released later to groundwater mainly by reductive dissolution of hydrated-iron-oxide and corresponding oxidation of sediment organic matter. Strong reducing nature of groundwater in the Bengal Basin and parts of affected middle Ganga floodplains is indicated by high concentration of dissolved iron (maximum 9-35 mg/l). Groundwater being virtually stagnant under these settings, released arsenic accumulates and contaminates groundwater. The upland terraces in the Bengal Basin and in the Central Ganga Alluvial Plain, made up of the Pleistocene sediments are free of arsenic contamination in groundwater. These sediments are weakly oxidised in nature and associated groundwater is mildly reducing in general with low concentration of iron (<1 mg/l), and thus incapable to release arsenic. These sediments are also flushed free of arsenic, released if any, by groundwater flow due to high hydraulic head, because of their initial low-stand setting and later upland terraced position.     

Role of monsoon rain on concentrations and dispersion patterns of metal pollutants in sediments and soils of the Ganga Plain, India

 Monsoon rain causes large scale sediment-water movement and reworking of sediments of the Ganga Plain which is one of the largest fluvial systems on Earth. Geomorphology and drainage type combined with sedimentation processes play a substantial role on dispersion and transport patterns of metals bound to sediments and soils. The study area of Kanpur-Unnao industrial region in the Ganga Plain has been divided into five independent geochemical domains on the basis of sediment-geomorphic, hydrological and geochemical characters. The monsoon hydrography and physico-chemical parameters (pH, conductivity) of the river and urban drain waters play a prominent role in regulating the concentrations and behaviour of the metals in the aquatic system of the Ganga Plain. Values of pH and specific electrical conductivity of the river water of the study area decrease whereas those of the urban drain water increase in post-monsoon period. The monsoon rain reduces the contents of Co, C-org, Cr, Fe and Ni and enhances the contents of Cd, Sn and Zn in sediments of post-monsoon period. In soils, it reduces the contents of Al, Co, Fe, Mn and Ni and enhances the contents of Cd, Sn and Zn in the post-monsoon period. These changes in concentrations vary from metal to metal and from one geochemical domain to the other. An increase in the concentrations of few metals in the soils from pre- to post-monsoon periods indicates that these metals were mobilized from the overflooding of metal rich waste-water onto the fields during high water stage and also by reworking of the soils through sheet floods during the monsoon time. Despite the changes in concentrations, metal dispersion patterns in each domain remain similar both in pre- and post-monsoon periods which indicate that the geochemical and sediment-geomorphic processes operating for the metal dispersion and mobilization in sediments are persistent even after large scale sediment-water movement and reworking of the sediments during the monsoon period. Received: 4 May 1998 · Accepted: 20 October 1998     

大兴安岭哈拉哈河-绰尔河第四纪火山分期: K-Ar年代学与火山地质特征

大兴安岭中部哈拉哈河-绰尔河第四纪火山区分布有34座火山,这些火山总体呈北东向带状分布,火山岩分布面积约400 km2,岩性主要为碱性橄榄玄武岩.根据火山地质特征,结合火山岩K-Ar测年结果,哈拉哈河-绰尔河第四纪火山可进一步划分为早、中、晚更新世和全新世4期.早更新世火山岩,由于被后期火山岩覆盖,主要分布于火山区周边和出露在河谷中.中更新世火山活动最强,不论火山数量(27座)还是熔岩流规模都超过该区第四纪火山的一半以上.晚更新世时期火山活动趋弱,火山活动范围缩小,只局限于小范围区域.全新世火山活动又进入新的高峰期,强爆破式喷发和规模宏大的熔岩流,以及保存完好的熔岩流地貌是全新世火山之特点.     

鄂尔多斯盆地靖边－绥德地区古生界天然气运移和聚集的数值模拟

本文用二维盆地模拟方法研究鄂尔多斯盆地靖边－绥德地区古生界天然气的运移和聚集。在数值模型中，天然气的运移由渗流和扩散两种运移形式组成。模拟结果表明，研究区古生界天然气的运移以渗流运移为主、扩散运移为辅。以早白垩世末期燕山运动后幕为界，运移期大体上可分为两个阶段。由此，形成了研究区各井的三种不同的运移聚集史。     

西昆仑山前河流阶地的形成及其构造意义

西昆仑山前河流普遍发育6级阶地,利用光释光（OSL）与热释光（TL）方法对采自西昆仑山前几条主要河流的低阶地堆积物样品进行年代测定。研究结果显示,主要河流低阶地的形成具有同时性,构造活动是河流阶地形成的主要控制因素。河流阶地的年龄测定结果表明,西昆仑山前河流阶地最早形成于约1.2Ma,T4、T3、T2阶地分别形成于约39ka、18ka和5ka。多级阶地的形成反映了河流自早更新世中期开始下切于活动抬升的西昆仑山。河流阶地的发育及区域对比揭示了西昆仑第四纪晚期以来的隆升过程,区域构造活动明显地影响河流的形态与行为。河流阶地的分布、地貌特征及区域对比表明,河流阶地的形成与演化受新构造活动、山脉隆升、气候变化等多种因素的影响。     

Petrology and sedimentation of the middle siwalik clays at dholkhand,saharanpur district,U.P., India

The Middle Siwalik clays at Dholkhand, Saharanpur district, U. P., in India were studied to investigate the nature of Siwalik (middle Miocene to lower Pleistocene) sedimentation in relation to the tectonism associated with the Himalayan orogenesis. The clays are reddish brown to buff in color containing montmorillonite, expandable mixed-layers, degraded chlorite, and illite. The clays were studied byX-ray diffractometry using standard techniques with copper radiation. The clay mineral distribution of the Middle Siwaliks indicates that the material was deposited under continental conditions in stream channels during periods of minimum current activity. The clays were deposited by slow sedimentation and are little affected by diagenesis. Further work in this area and elsewhere are now under progress to establish the relation of Siwalik sedimentation with the uplift of the Himalayas in the Tertiary period.     

大兴安岭诺敏河第四纪火山岩分期:岩石学、年代学与火山地质特征

大兴安岭北段诺敏河第四纪火山24座,分布于诺敏河及其支流毕拉河和甘河支流奎勒河,火山岩分布面积约600km2。诺敏河火山岩均属于钾质系列火山岩(K2O含量2%～4%,且K2O>Na2O-2%),类似于邻区五大连池-科洛钾质火山岩,具有来自类似的富钾地幔源区。但诺敏河火山岩的K2O含量明显低于五大连池-科洛火山岩的K2O含量(一般4%～6%)。东北地区和内蒙东部处于中亚造山带东段,从古生代到新生代,多重构造-岩浆活动导致火山岩源区地球化学非均一性和火山岩的多样性。根据本文提出的火山岩K-Ar年龄(2.3～0.128Ma)及火山地质特征,可将诺敏河第四纪火山岩分为四期。早期(早更新世)火山活动主要沿诺敏河和奎勒河流域分布,火山产物多被晚期沉积物或火山产物所覆盖。中更新世保留的火山锥体及熔岩流是诺敏河第四纪火山产物的主体,表明是第四纪火山活动的高潮期。晚更新世-全新世火山活动限于毕拉河流域,典型的四方山火山和马鞍山火山是该时期火山活动的代表作,保留了较完好的火山地质地貌特征。从火山产物的时空展布,推测诺敏河第四纪火山活动有从东向西发展的趋势。     

伊-陕斜坡山2段包裹体古流体势恢复及天然气聚集条件

恢复自烃类生成以来的各个地史时期的古流体势, 有助于正确认识油气藏的分布规律.通过对鄂尔多斯盆地伊-陕斜坡太原组—山西组砂岩储层流体包裹体样品的系统分析, 将其油气充注划分为6个期次; 结合埋藏史分析, 确定出6期油气充注发生的时间.在此基础上, 运用流体包裹体pVT热动力学模拟的方法, 获得了6期油气充注的古压力数据, 并计算出伊-陕斜坡山2段6期次天然气充注的古气势, 分析了古气势分布及时空演化规律, 认为区域构造和热史演化是其主要控制因素.结合区域地质资料, 探讨了天然气运移与聚集规律: 晚三叠世中期至中侏罗世末期, 山2段储层气势西南高而北部、东北部低, 天然气主要从西南向北、东北向运移; 中侏罗世末期至早白垩世末期, 气势西高东低, 天然气主要由西向东就近运移, 再向北和东北向运移; 早白垩世末至现今, 天然气藏进入聚集与散失的动平衡状态, 形成现今分布特征.榆林及其南部地区是天然气聚集的最有利地带, 其次为神木-米脂地区.      

Numerical simulation of groundwater and early warnings from the simulated dynamic evolution trend in the plain area of Shenyang,Liaoning Province (P.R. China)

Groundwater level is the most direct factor reflecting whether groundwater is in a virtuous cycle. It is the most important benchmark for deciding whether a balance can be struck between groundwater discharge and recharge and whether groundwater exploitation will trigger problems pertinent to environment, ecology and environmental geology. According to the borehole and long-term monitoring wells data in the plain area of Shenyang, a numerical groundwater model is established and used to identify and verify the hydrogeological parameters and balanced items of groundwater. Then the concept of red line levels, the control levels of groundwater is proposed, the dynamic evolution trend of groundwater under different scenarios is analyzed and predicted and groundwater alerts are given when groundwater tables are not between the lower limit and the upper limit. Results indicated: (1) The results of identification and verification period fitted well, and the calculation accuracy of balanced items was high; (2) with the implementation of shutting wells, groundwater levels in urban areas of Shenyang would exceed the upper limit water level after 2020 and incur some secondary disasters; (3) under the recommended scenario of water resources allocation, early-warnings for groundwater tables outside the range would occur in the year of 2020, 2023, 2025 respectively for successive wet, normal and dry years. It was imperative to reopen some groundwater sources and enhance real-time supervision and early-warning to prevent the occurrence of potential problems.     

构造应力场、流体势场对柴达木盆地西部油气运聚的控制作用

运用多孔介质渗流理论和构造应力场驱动油气运移的流固耦合分析方法对柴达木盆地西部的构造应力场及流体运移势进行了数值模拟,揭示盆地西部油气运聚的规律是:①区域主要构造格架或构造体系控制了构造压力低值区的展布,二级构造压力低值区的边界为近南北和北北东向;②由浅层向深层,构造压力低值区的范围有逐渐扩大的趋势;③盆地西南部油区棋盘格式构造的结点为构造压力低值区;④不同构造层油气流矢量聚集区往往都是构造压力的低值区和油气聚集的有利部位。     

构造应力场、流体势场对柴达木盆地西部油气运聚的控制作用

运用多孔介质渗流理论和构造应力场驱动油气运移的流固耦合分析方法对柴达木盆地西部的构造应力场及流体运移势进行了数值模拟,揭示盆地西部油气运聚的规律是:①区域主要构造格架或构造体系控制了构造压力低值区的展布,二级构造压力低值区的边界为近南北和北北东向;②由浅层向深层,构造压力低值区的范围有逐渐扩大的趋势;③盆地西南部油区棋盘格式构造的结点为构造压力低值区;④不同构造层油气流矢量聚集区往往都是构造压力的低值区和油气聚集的有利部位.     

陕西凤太地区“八卦庙式”金矿控矿因素及其找矿潜力分析

陕西风县八卦庙特大型金矿床以其超百吨级规模著称于世,借鉴其成矿规律及找矿模式在风太泥盆纪地层中开展金矿找矿工作,目前已发现次生晕金异常近百个,矿点＋余处,且多数异常尚未深入检查。笔者试图总结归纳“八卦庙式”金矿之控矿因素,并对该类型的金矿成矿远景加以分析,旨在为今后的找矿工作选区提供参考。     

柴达木盆地那棱格勒河及其尾闾盐湖锂成矿物源：来自水化学和锶、硫同位素证据

柴达木盆地那棱格勒河尾闾盐湖(一里坪干盐滩、东台吉乃尔盐湖、西台吉乃尔盐湖和察尔汗盐湖别勒滩区段)赋存了我国目前最大的卤水锂矿床。那棱格勒河及其尾闾盐湖锂的物源仍存在一定争议,主要有围岩风化、古湖残留、含盐系地层淋滤、油田水、深部水等,目前缺乏有力的地球化学证据。本文系统采集了那棱格勒河流域及其尾闾盐湖不同水体样品16件,分析了其主、微量元素含量及锶、硫同位素组成。结合前人的研究成果,对区域水体中锂的来源进行了探讨,得出结论如下:那棱格勒河水锂含量(0.45～0.79 mg/L)比楚拉克阿拉干河支流(0.00～0.05 mg/L)高出一个数量级,其高锂含量主要受洪水河支流的补给;洪水河高锂含量与其上游热泉水的补给有关,该热泉水锂、锶含量高、⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr比值偏高,δ³⁴S值偏低,与青藏高原典型热泉水地球化学特征(锂含量0.4～34.8 mg/L,锶含量0.07～4.24 mg/L,⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr比值0.71224～0.71259,δ³⁴S值-10....     

Hydrocarbon generation and expulsion characteristics of Lower Permian P1f source rocks in the Fengcheng area,northwest margin,Junggar Basin,NW China: implications for tight oil accumulation potential assessment

Combined with the actual geological settings, tight oil is the oil that occurs in shale or tight reservoirs, which has permeability less than 1 mD and is interbedded with or close to shale, including tight dolomitic oil and shale oil. The Fengcheng area (FA), at the northwest margin of the Junggar Basin, northwest China, has made significant progress in the tight oil exploration of the Fengcheng (P₁f) Formation recently, which indicates that the tight oil resources have good exploration prospects. Whereas the lack of recognition of hydrocarbon generation and expulsion characteristics of Permian P₁f source rocks results in the misunderstanding of tight oil resource potential. Based on the comprehensive analysis of geological and geochemical characteristics of wells, seismic inversion, sedimentary facies, tectonic burial depth, etc., the characteristics of P₁f source rocks were investigated, and the horizontal distributions of the following aspects were predicted: the thickness of source rocks, abundance and type of organic matter. And on this basis, an improved hydrocarbon generation potential methodology together with basin simulation techniques was applied to unravel the petroleum generation and expulsion characteristics of P₁f source rocks in FA. Results show that the P₁f source rocks distribute widely (up to 2039 km²), are thick (up to 260 m), have high total organic content (TOC, ranging from 0.15 to 4 wt%), are dominated by type II kerogen and have entered into low mature–mature stage. The modeling results indicate that the source rocks reached hydrocarbon generation threshold and hydrocarbon expulsion threshold at 0.5% Ro and 0.85% Ro and the comprehensive hydrocarbon expulsion efficiency was about 46%. The amount of generation and expulsion from the P₁f source rocks was 31.85 × 10⁸ and 15.31 × 10⁸ t, respectively, with a residual amount of 16.54 × 10⁸ t within the source rocks. Volumetrically, the geological resource of shale oil is up to 15.65 × 10⁸ t. Small differences between the amounts calculated by the volumetric method compared with that by hydrocarbon generation potential methodology may be due to other oil accumulations present within interbedded sands associated with the oil shales. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

几内亚福雷卡里亚YML铁矿区的富铁矿床地质特征及找矿前景探讨

YML铁矿区位于几内亚福雷卡里亚省,富铁矿以条带状赤铁矿和铁角砾岩矿为主。矿区内共发育7条矿体,条带状赤铁矿体6条,铁角砾岩矿体1条。条带状赤铁矿体赋存部位多为向形地段,次级紧密褶皱发育,沿走向和倾向有逐渐变薄和尖灭的趋势;铁角砾岩矿体覆盖于地表,以风化壳的形式出现。矿床类型属复合类型,即海底热液喷气沉积叠加后期构造变质型+风化淋滤型。该区具备铁矿形成和保存的地质条件,且已发现具一定储量、品位较高的条带状赤铁矿和大面积的铁角砾岩分布区,区内铁矿找矿远景较好。     

Tectonic setting of the Balaram-Kui-Surpagla-Kengora granulites of the South Delhi Terrane of the Aravalli Mobile Belt,NW India and its implication on correlation with the East African Orogen in the Gondwana assembly

Granulites are developed in various tectonic settings and during different geological periods, and have been used for continental correlation within supercontinent models. In this context the Balaram-Kui-Surpagla-Kengora granulites of the South Delhi Terrane of the Aravalli Mobile Belt of northwestern India are significant. The granulites occur as shear zone bounded lensoidal bodies within low-grade rocks of the South Delhi Terrane and comprise pelitic and calcareous granulites, a gabbro-norite-basic granulite suite and multiple phases of granites of the Ambaji suite. The granulites have undergone three major phases of folding and shearing. The F₁ and F₂ folds are coaxial along NE-SW axis, and F₃ folds are developed across the former along NW-SE axis. Thus, various types of interference patterns are produced. The granulite facies metamorphism is marked by a spinel–cordierite–garnet–sillimanite–quartz assemblage with melt phase and is synkinematic to the F₁ phase of folding. The peak thermobarometric condition is set at ≥850 °C and 5.5–6.8 kb. The granulites have been exhumed through thrusting along multiple ductile shear zones during syn- to post-F₂ folding. Late-stage shearing has produced cataclasites and pseudotachylites. Sensitive High Resolution Ion MicroProbe (SHRIMP) U–Pb dating of zircon from pelitic granulites and synkinematically emplaced granites indicate that: (1) the sedimentary succession of the South Delhi Terrane was deposited between 1240 and 860 Ma with detritus derived from magmatic sources with ages between 1620 and 1240 Ma; (2) folding and granulite metamorphism have taken place between ca. 860 and 800 Ma, and exhumation at around ca. 800–760 Ma; and (3) the last phase of granitic activity occurred at ca. 759 Ma. This shows, for the first time, that the granulites of the South Delhi Terrane are much younger than those of the Sandmata Granulite Complex of the northern part of the Aravalli Mobile Belt, the Saussar granulites of the Central India Mobile Belt and the Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt. Instead, they show similarities to the Neoproterozoic granulites of the Circum Indian Orogens that include the East African Orogen (East Africa and Madagascar), the Southern Granulite Terrane of India and much of Sri Lanka. We suggest that the South Delhi Basin probably marks a trace of the proto-Mozambique Ocean in NW India within Gondwana, that closed when the Marwar Craton, arc fragments (Bemarivo Belt in Madagascar and the Seychelles) and components of the Arabian-Nubian Shield collided with the Aravalli-Bundelkhand Protocontinent at ca. 850–750 Ma.     

Petrography,chemical composition,and Raman spectra of chrome spinel: Constraints on the diamond potential of the No. 30 pipe kimberlite in Wafangdian,North China Craton

Conventional diamond exploration seldom searches directly for diamonds in rock and soil samples. Instead, it focuses on the search for indicator minerals like chrome spinel, which can be used to evaluate diamond potential. Chrome spinels are preserved as pristine minerals in the early Paleozoic (∼465 Ma), hydrothermally altered, Group I No. 30 pipe kimberlite that intruded the Neoproterozoic Qingbaikou strata in Wafangdian, North China Craton (NCC). The characteristics of the chrome spinels were investigated by petrographic observation (BSE imaging), quantitative chemical analysis (EPMA), and Raman spectral analysis. The results show that the chrome spinels are mostly sub-rounded with extremely few grains being subhedral, and these spinels are macrocrystic, more than 500 µm in size. The chrome spinels also have compositional zones: the cores are classified as magnesiochromite as they have distinctly chromium-rich (Cr₂O₃ up to 66.56 wt%) and titanium-poor (TiO₂ < 1 wt%) compositions; and the rims are classified as magnetite as they have chromium-poor and iron-rich composition. In the cores of chrome spinels, compositional variations are controlled by Al³⁺-Cr³⁺ isomorphism, which results in a strong Raman spectra peak (A_1g mode) varying from 690 cm⁻¹ to 702.9 cm⁻¹. In the rims of chrome spinel, compositional variations result in the A_1g peak varying from 660 cm⁻¹ to 672 cm⁻¹. The morphology and chemical compositions indicate that the chrome spinels are mantle xenocrysts. The cores of the spinel are remnants of primary mantle xenocrysts that have been resorbed, and the rims were formed during kimberlite magmatism. The compositions of the cores are used to evaluate the diamond potential of this kimberlite through comparison with the compositions of chrome spinels from the Changmazhuang and No. 50 pipe kimberlites in the NCC. In MgO, Al₂O₃ and TiO₂ versus Cr₂O₃ plots, the chrome spinels from the Changmazhuang and No. 50 pipe kimberlites are mostly located in the diamond stability field. However, only a small proportion of chrome spinels from No. 30 pipe kimberlite have same behavior, which indicates that the diamond potential of the former two kimberlites is greater than that of the No. 30 pipe kimberlite. This is also supported by compositional zones in the spinel grains: there is with an increase in Fe³⁺ in the rims, which suggests that the chrome spinels experienced highly oxidizing conditions. Oxidizing conditions may have been imparted by fluids/melts that have a great influence on diamond destruction. Here, we suggest that chrome spinel compositions can be a useful tool for identifying the target for diamond potential in the North China Craton.