Possible animal body fossils from the Late Neoproterozoic interglacial successions in the Kimberley region, northwestern Australia

New specimens of the enigmatic Ediacara-type fossil Palaeopascichnus have been identified from the upper part of the Neoproterozoic Ranford Formation in the Kimberley region, northwest Australia. New material is morphologically similar to Palaeopascichnus and represents the largest species of this genus. They resemble the present-day xenophyophore protists in chamber morphology and growth patterns, supporting the interpretation that Palaeopascichnus is possibly a xenophyophore body fossil rather than a trace fossil. Stratigraphic correlation reveals that the new Palaeopascichnus specimens are preserved in the interglacial successions between the Landrigan/Marinoan and Egan/Ediacaran glaciations. If correlation with the early Ediacaran formations of South Australia is accepted, this represents the earliest known identifiable member of the Ediacara biota. New fossil record fills the evolutionary gap between the Cryogenian and Ediacaran animal assemblages and well-known Ediacaran biota. The new Palaeopascichnus specimens represent the first record of Ediacara-type fossils in Kimberley, and suggest the probability that additional Ediacaran fossils may be found in northwestern Australia.     

Chemostratigraphy and lithological characters of Neoproterozoic cap carbonates from the Kuruktag Mountain, Xinjiang, western China

The Neoproterozoic Era includes some of the most largest ice ages in the geological history. The exact number of glaciations is unknown, though there were at least two events of global glaciation. Neoproterozoic glacial deposits in the Kuruktag Mountain, Xinjiang, western China have proven that there had occurred three discrete Neoproterozoic glaciations. Diamictite units occurred in the Bayisi, Tereeken, and Hankalchough formations, carbonate units were recognized among the diamictites and immediately overlied the Bayisi, Tereeken and Hankalchough diamictites. Carbonates at the top of the Bayisi Formation are characterized by the dolo-sility stones with negative δ13C values ranging from -4.10‰ to -8.17‰ (PDB), comparable to the Sturtian cap carbonates that overlie the Sturtian glacial deposits from other Neoproterozoic sequences. Carbonates overlying the Tereeken Formation are characterized by the pinkish cap dolostones (ca. 10 m thick) with negative δ13C values ranging from -2.58‰ to -4.77‰ (PDB), comparable to the Marinoan cap carbonates. The cap is also characterized by tepee-like structures, barite precipitates and pseudomorphous aragonite crystal fan limestones. Carbonates at the top of the Hankalchough Formation are characterized by subaerial exposure crust (vadose pisolite structure, calcareous crust structure) dolostones with negative δ13C values ranging from -4.56‰ to -11.45‰ (PDB) and the calcareous crust dolostones, implying that the Hankalchough cap carbonates differ from either the Sturtian or Marinoan cap carbonates in sedimentary environment and carbon isotopic composition. In addition, it is suggested the Hankalchough glaciation belongs to a terrestrial glaciation and it is the third largest glaciation during the Neoproterozoic period on the Tarim platform.     

新疆库鲁克塔格地区新元古代末期汉格尔乔克冰期成因新证据

新疆是世界上保存有完整的新元古代三大冰期的地区之一，有关新疆新元古代最末期冰期为大陆冰川早就提出，但由于证据不充分而一直受到质疑。汉格尔乔克冰碛砾岩具有典型的冰川“落石”，属于典型的冰川沉积，对其上覆的帽碳酸盐岩进行系统的碳、氧同佗素研究证明，帽碳酸盐岩具有全球新元古代冰后碳酸盐岩沉积类似的碳同位素负异常特征，特别是在帽碳酸盐岩底部发现具有典型的大气淡水成因的白云岩，证明汉格尔乔克冰期为大陆冰川。     

新元古代帽碳酸盐岩中帐篷状构造的成因

帐篷构造是碳酸盐岩中的一种特殊沉积组构,因其倒“V”字形形态类似于帐篷(tepee)而得名,被认为是一种无成因意义的沉积组构。传统的帐篷构造在海相至陆相碳酸盐岩中都有发育,形态和胶结物的不同反映了沉积环境的变化,其成因为裂隙填充的胶结物结晶膨胀导致层面突起变形。新元古代帽碳酸盐岩中广泛发育有倒“V”字形的类似构造,但由于形态和成因上都和传统的帐篷构造有所区别,被称为“帐篷状构造”(te-pee-likestructure)。目前其成因解释主要有:“巨风暴潮波痕”、“甲烷气体渗漏”、“地下水侵位”和“晶体结晶”的假说。由于帐篷状构造的形成过程与机制和帽碳酸盐岩的成因密切相关,对帐篷状构造的进一步研究必将帮助我们对新元古代冰期结束机制的理解。     

Neoproterozoic (Cryogenian) stromatolites from the Wolfe Basin,east Kimberley,Western Australia: Correlation with the Centralian Superbasin

Linella avis, an early to middle Neoproterozoic (Tonian to Cryogenian) stromatolite, occurs in the Eliot Range Dolomite, part of the Ruby Plains Group in the Wolfe Basin, east Kimberley. Previously, this dolomite was assigned to the Mesoproterozoic Bungle Bungle Dolomite in the Osmond Basin, which contains a different suite of stromatolites. Linella avis, which also occurs in the Neoproterozoic Bitter Springs Formation of the Amadeus Basin, central Australia, appears to be restricted to rocks aged around 850 to 800 Ma. The presence of L. avis indicates that the Ruby Plains Group is a probable correlative of the Heavitree Quartzite and Bitter Springs Formation, and is probably much younger than the Bungle Bungle Dolomite. If the correlation suggested here is correct, the Wolfe Basin, together with the Amadeus and Ngalia Basins, formed part of the Centralian Superbasin.     

Detrital zircon geochronology of the Speewah Group,Kimberley region,Western Australia: evidence for intracratonic development of the Paleoproterozoic Speewah Basin

Field observations integrated with new petrographic and sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) U–Pb age data for detrital zircons from the Paleoproterozoic Speewah Group of northern Western Australia provide evidence of depositional conditions, source of detritus, timing and evolution of the sedimentary rocks in the Speewah Basin. The Speewah Group is a 1.5 km-thick succession of poorly outcropping, predominantly siliciclastic rocks that preserve a fluviatile to marine, transgressive and regressive event. The Speewah Group unconformably overlies crystalline rocks of the Lamboo Province that were stabilised by the 1870–1850 Ma Hooper Orogeny, then accreted as the Kimberley region onto the North Australian Craton during the 1835–1810 Ma Halls Creek Orogeny. Unconformably overlying the Speewah Group is about 4 km of predominantly siliciclastic marine sedimentary rocks of the Kimberley Group in the Kimberley Basin. This study has detected a detrital zircon component within the Speewah Basin at 1814 ± 10 Ma, with a youngest zircon at 1803 ± 12 Ma (1σ) in fluviatile sandstones located beneath a volcaniclastic rock with magmatic zircons that have been dated at ca 1835 Ma. Previous studies proposed that the Speewah Basin developed as a retro-arc foreland basin during accretion of the North Australian Craton. We interpret the ca 1835 Ma zircons in the volcaniclastic rocks to be xenocrystic in origin. This new 20 million years younger maximum depositional age indicates that the Speewah Group in the Speewah Basin, similarly to the overlying Kimberley Group in the Kimberley Basin, developed in a post-orogenic setting on the North Australian Craton rather than in a syn-orogenic setting associated with the 1835–1810 Ma Halls Creek Orogeny.     

新元古代晚期盖帽碳酸盐岩的成因与“雪球地球”的终结机制

新元古代晚期约635 Ma的地球发育了到达赤道附近的冰川作用，地质记录上表现为代表寒冷气候的冰期沉积杂砾岩，直接被代表温暖环境的碳酸盐岩层（常称盖帽碳酸盐岩）覆盖。由于盖帽碳酸盐岩奇特的岩石学和地球化学特征，引起了对其成因认识的巨大争论，提出了“雪球地球”和“甲烷渗漏”等假说。“雪球地球”假设可以解释一些令人困惑的地学现象，如低纬度和低海拔冰川沉积、盖帽碳酸盐岩、碳酸盐δ13C负漂移和条带状铁矿层等，但许多科学家对此提出了质疑。最近对盖帽碳酸盐岩的δ13C分析结果（最低达-41‰）、盖帽碳酸盐岩发育的类似现代冷泉碳酸盐岩沉积组构等似乎支持“甲烷渗漏”假说。     

Potential evidence of fossilised Neoproterozoic deep life: SEM observations on calcite veins from Oppaminda Creek,Arkaroola, South Australia

Scanning electron microscopy revealed micron-sized globular and coccoid objects, associated with filaments and mucus-like patches in antitaxial fibrous calcite veins from Oppaminda Creek, Northern Flinders Ranges, South Australia. Chemically the objects only differ from their calcite (CaCO₃) matrix by a higher sulphur content. The ∼585 Ma veins formed at about 3–6 km below the surface. Fluid inclusions indicate a temperature of formation of about 60–80°C, and not exceeding 100°C. A non-biogenic origin of the objects is discussed, but considered unlikely. Instead, morphology, chemistry and size distribution all indicate that the objects are fossilised microbes that lived in the veins at the time and depth of vein formation.     

Spider impact structure,Kimberley Plateau,Western Australia: interpretations of formation mechanism and age based on integrated map-scale data

The centre of the 13?×?11 km Spider impact structure, Western Australia, displays an unusual system of eroded folds and imbricated thrusts surrounding a sandstone dome. As inferred from GIS-integrated remote sensing, geological and digital elevation data, the structural setting of the original crater was influenced by, and hence post-dates, the formation of the Mt Barnett Syncline, the east?–?west-oriented axis of which runs through the Spider structure. The syncline formed during the regional Yampi Orogeny (ca 900 Ma), thus constraining the maximum age of the impact event. The sandstone dome in the centre of Spider formed prior to the imbrication, as interpreted from the present setting that indicates a deflection of the southward moving material during the crater collapse. Two modes of formation are discussed in order to explain the south-directed shortening in the Spider impact structure: (i) impact into the bottom of a syncline-controlled palaeovalley leading to uplift of the central crater floor followed by gravity-driven asymmetric sliding preferentially from the northern crater wall and valley slope, respectively; and (ii) moderately oblique (～10?–?30°) impact from the north onto the axis of the syncline, producing a central uplift under the influence of downrange residual momentum and, thus, asymmetric deformation inside the uplift and farther downrange. Neither model alone explains all the observations, and only a combination of both may provide a satisfactory solution.     

Geochemical characteristics and geological significance of the Neoproterozoic carbonates from northern Anhui Province,China

Petrographical and geochemical studies were carried out of the Neoproterozoic carbonates from northern Anhui Province, China. These carbonates can be subdivided into two types, including purified limestone (PL) and mixed limestone and siliclastic rocks (MLS). PLs are low in Si, Al, Zr and total REE but high in CaO compared with MLSs. Correlations between Zr, Fe2O3, P2O5 and total REE are also less remarkable, indicating that they were not obviously contaminated by continental materials but directly precipitated from seawater. So they can be used for the inversion of paleo-seawater REE patterns. The inversed results indicated that the REE pattern of Neoproterozoic seawater was similar to that of the modern seawater except for the lack of Ce depletion, which was probably affected by the reduced hydrothermal solution. In combination with previous studies, the geochemical trending of these carbonatic samples towards the continental arc in the La- Th-Sc and Th-Sc-Zr/10 diagrams is interpreted as the contamination of arc volcanism. The tectonic background of the southern margin of the North China Craton in the Neoproterozoic was probably related to the Grenville orogeny during the convergence of the Rodinia supercontinent, rather than an intra-plate environment.     

皖南新元古代冰期地层再认识

前人认为皖南地区新元古代冰期地层存在两套冰碛岩。通过对皖南蓝田新元古界剖面和皖南地区的另外3条新元古界剖面的重新观察,发现该剖面只存在一套冰碛层和一套盖帽白云岩,均未发现间冰期地层。植被覆盖和地层错断是造成前人认为本地区新元古代冰期地层存在两套冰碛层和两套盖帽白云岩的主要原因。这一套冰碛层与中国南方扬子区南华系南沱组相当。     

河南嵩山地区新元古界何家窑组微亮晶脉特征、成因及地质意义探讨

在河南嵩山地区青白口系何家窑组中可识别出一个碳酸盐岩微亮晶脉集中的层位，笔者等结合微亮晶脉自身的特征、成分和伴生的地震引起的其他变形特征，以及通过显微镜和核磁共聚焦显微镜下的微相研究，认为嵩山地区板状微亮晶脉与华北块体东缘胶辽徐淮地区的泥晶脉特征一致，是由地震液化形成的产物，该层位代表了一个地震活跃期。同处华北块体南缘的豫西鲁山和陕西南部相对应的青白口系层位（洛峪口组和巡检司组）也发现了同期的地震记录。笔者认为嵩山地区微亮晶脉的出现应与华北块体南缘构造事件相关联。     

Seismic images grounded zone wedge in Neoproterozoic glacials,Amadeus Basin,central Australia

Recently acquired seismic data in the eastern portion of the Amadeus Basin of central Australia have enabled disconformities at the base of both the Sturt and Elatina glaciogenic sequences within the Neoproterozoic succession to be mapped on a semi-regional scale. On a more detailed scale, along the shallowly shelving eastern flank of the basin, seismic data have revealed features that demarcate the transition from a grounded to floating, or possible absent, Sturt ice-sheet. Coincident with this transition is an extensive mound-like accumulation of glacial debris, some 10 to 15?km wide, 300 m high and extending at least 150?km subparallel to the northeast–southwest-oriented basin margin. This glacial debris entered the basin subglacially through meandering tunnel valleys, one of which can be mapped seismically.     

Cordierite-anthophyllite rocks from north-west Queensland, Australia: metamorphosed magnesian pelites

Abstract Cordierite-anthophyllite rocks and related cordierite-rich, talc-rich and chlorite-rich rocks occur in the Rosebud Syncline, north-west Queensland, Australia, as part of a Proterozoic metasedimentary sequence. Field relations and rock compositions attest the sedimentary origin of these rather unusual metamorphic rocks. Their chemical composition is comparable to that of unmetamorphosed, alkali- and Ca-poor pelites, which are associated with some evaporite deposits. Other occurrences of cordierite-anthophyllite rocks have commonly been interpreted as metamorphosed chloritic alteration products derived from mafic or felsic volcanics. A comparative chemical study, using analyses of cordierite-anthophyllite rocks from such alteration zones and analyses of unmetamorphosed magnesian pelites, demonstrates the general chemical similarity between these two rock groups of entirely different origin. However, distinct differences in major element relations help to distinguish these two genetic groups. Particularly useful are Al₂O₃–FeO–MgO plots, in which evaporitic pelites occupy the Fe-poor side. The highly magnesian metamorphic rocks from the Rosebud Syncline fall entirely into the compositional field of evaporitic clays and shales. Furthermore, analyses of relatively immobile trace elements give supporting evidence for the sedimentary origin of these cordierite-anthophyllite rocks. The correlation with trace element ranges of clays and shales is very good. However, the correlation with trace element ranges of mafic and felsic volcanics is poor, and major discrepancies occur with Cr, Ni, Co, Nb, Sc, Th and Ti. Thus, the magnesian metamorphics of the Rosebud Syncline appear to be derived from evaporitic clays rich in magnesian clay minerals, such as palygorskite, sepiolite, chlorite or corrensite. The complete metamorphic rock assemblage of interlayered calcareous, aluminous and magnesian rocks is interpreted as a metamorphosed carbonate-evaporite-pelite sequence.     

C-, Sr-isotope and Hg chemostratigraphy of Neoproterozoic cap carbonates of the Sergipano Belt,Northeastern Brazil

Two cap carbonates overlying glaciogenic diamictites crop out extensively in the eastern Vaza Barris Domain of the Sergipano Belt, northeastern Brazil. They are represented by carbonates of the Jacoca Formation, resting on top of diamictite of the Ribeiropolis Formation, and by the Olhos D’Agua Formation (carbonates, organic-rich towards the top), which overlies diamictite of the Palestina Formation. These two sequences were deformed and metamorphosed at sub-greenschist facies-conditions during the Brasiliano cycle (650–600 Ma).     

燕山地区中新元古界高于庄组和雾迷山组风暴沉积特征分析

燕山地区中、新元古界高于庄组和雾迷山组地层发育典型的风暴沉积,主要有砂砾屑白云岩和灰岩、风暴硅岩、泥晶白云岩、含硅质条带白云岩和藻叠层白云岩5种岩石类型,砾屑放射状构造、底模构造、冲刷构造、丘状交错层理和波状层理等5种沉积构造。在野外剖面和岩心观察的基础上,根据风暴沉积的岩石学特征、沉积构造类型、规模和组合特点,并结合区域沉积背景分析,在辽宁凌源地区雾迷山组识别出一个标准的5单元垂向沉积序列。通过野外和室内的观察、分析和研究认为,研究区风暴岩形成于碳酸盐台地相中水体较浅的潮间环境。该风暴岩的发现对重建燕山地区中新元古界古地理及区域地层对比具有重要意义。     

Molecular composition and indigenity of organic matter in Late Neoproterozoic sedimentary rocks from the Yangtze region, South China

1 Introduction As a linkage between the biosphere and the geosphere, organic geochemistry, especially molecular markers, has become a powerful tool for investigating important geological events and the evolutionary history of ancient life on Earth (Kvenvo…     

Organotemplate structures in sedimentary manganese carbonates of the Neoproterozoic Penganga Group, Adilabad, India

Manganese carbonates interstratified with bedded chert in the Chanda Limestone of the Neoproterozoic Penganga Group at Adilabad, south India, have been studied for possible evidence that microbiota played a role in the mediation of early diagenetic Mn-carbonate formation in Precambrian marine sedimentary successions. The manganese carbonate and chert beds occur within a below wave base, deep-water distally steepened ramp succession. High resolution SEM petrography of the manganese carbonates revealed two basic morphologies-spherical to oval-cylindrical shaped microconcretions, and tubular to irregular, elongated, film-like microstructures. Infolded filmy to hollow tubular strand-like internal morphologies of the spherical to oval-cylindrical shaped microconcretions suggest their microbial affinity. The tubular and film morphologies with mesh-like interconnections closely resemble architectures of microbial extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). Mineralization took place on these organotemplates by the process of permineralization as well as replacement in an early diagenetic pore-water environment with reduction of higher manganese oxy-hydroxides by organic matter and consequent increase in dissolved carbonate.