Elemental characteristics and paleoenvironment reconstruction: a case study of the Triassic lacustrine Zhangjiatan oil shale,southern Ordos Basin,China

Using trace elements to reconstruct paleoenvironment is a current hot topic in geochemistry. Through analytical tests of oil yield, ash yield, calorific value, total sulfur, major elements, trace elements, and X-ray diffraction, the quality, mineral content, occurrence mode of elements, and paleoenvironment of the Zhangjiatan oil shale of the Triassic Yanchang Formation in the southern Ordos Basin were studied. The analyses revealed relatively high oil yield (average 6.63%) and medium quality. The mineral content in the oil shale was mainly clay minerals, quartz, feldspar, and pyrite; an illite–smectite mixed layer comprised the major proportion of clay minerals. Compared with marine oil shale in China, the Zhangjiatan oil shale had higher contents of quartz, feldspar, and clay minerals, and lower calcite content. Silica was mainly in quartz and Fe was associated with organic matter, which is different from marine oil shale. The form of calcium varied. Cluster analyses indicated that Fe, Cu, U, V, Zn, As, Cs, Cd, Mo, Ga, Pb, Co, Ni, Cr, Sc, P, and Mn are associated with organic matter while Ca, Na, Sr, Ba, Si, Zr, K, Al, B, Mg, and Ti are mostly terrigenous. Sr/Cu, Ba/Al, V/(V + Ni), U/Th, AU, and δU of oil shale samples suggest the paleoclimate was warm and humid, paleoproductivity of the lake was relatively high during deposition of the shale—which mainly occurred in fresh water—and the paleo-redox condition was dominated by reducing conditions. Fe/Ti ratios of the oil shale samples suggest clear hydrothermal influence in the eastern portion of the study area and less conspicuous hydrothermal influence in the western portion.     

Iron isotopic analyses of geological reference materials on MC-ICP-MS with instrumental mass bias corrected by three independent methods

Here we report iron (Fe) isotopic data of three pure Fe solution standards (IRMM-014, GSB Fe, and NIST 3126a) and five widely used geological reference materials (RMs) from the United States Geological Survey and Geological Survey of Japan obtained on a Neptune Plus multi-collector–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) in our laboratory over the past 3 years. The instrumental mass bias was corrected by three independent methods: sample-standard bracketing (SSB), Ni doping?+?SSB, and ⁵⁷Fe–⁵⁸Fe double spike?+?SSB. Measurements reveal that both the Ni doping and double spike methods helped calibrate short-term fluctuations in mass bias. Collectively, almost all measurements of RMs yielded δ⁵⁶Fe within?±?0.05 of recommended values, provided that each sample was measured four times on MC-ICP-MS. For the first time, new recommended values for NIST SRM3126a are reported (δ⁵⁶Fe?=?0.363?±?0.006, 2SE, 95% CI; and δ⁵⁷Fe?=?0.534?±?0.010, 2SE).     

Re–Os geochronology of the Cambrian stage-2 and -3 boundary in Zhijin County,Guizhou Province,China

The black shale series that formed in the Ediacaran–Cambrian transition are important stratigraphic records of the co-evolution of the paleo-ocean, -climate, and -biology. In this study, we measured Re–Os isotopic compositions of the black shale in the Niutitang Formation from the Gezhongwu section in Zhijin, Guizhou Province. The samples had high Re and Os contents, with Re ranging from 21.27 to 312.78 ng/g and Os ranging from 0.455 to 7.789 ng/g. The Re–Os isotope isochron age of 522.9 ± 8.6 Ma implies deposition of the Niutitang black shale predated the Chengjiang Fauna, providing an age constraint for the expansion of oceanic anoxia in the study area. The initial ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os ratio of 0.826 ± 0.026 indicates that enhanced continental weathering might have triggered the expansion of the oceanic anoxia.     

U–Pb zircon age of the base of the Ediacaran System at the southern margin of the Qinling Orogen

Global abrupt climate change from Marinoan snowball Earth to greenhouse Earth, recorded as cap carbonate overlain on diamictite, had shed the first light on Cambrian bio-radiation. The most documented cap carbonate sections are typical with comprehensive δ¹³C negative values and ubiquitous sedimentary structures, such as tepee-like, sheet-crack etc., which are associated with successive glacial eustatic variation caused by isostatic rebound in shallow-water facies. Here we report a deep-water basinal cap carbonate section with strong negative δ¹³C values in the southern margin of the Qinling Orogen, Heyu, Chengkou County, Chongqing in China, which consists of massive dolostone with abundant carbonaceous laminae. However, it lacks the sedimentary structure as mentioned above and is overlain by thin-bedded silicious shales and cherts. A K-bentonite bed was discovered within the base of cap carbonates, about 0.7 m above the top of the Marinoan diamictite. Magmatic zircons that were separated from the K-bentonite bed yield a SIMS concordia U–Pb age of 634.1 ± 1.9 Ma (1σ, MSWD_CE = 0.31, Probability_CE = 1.000, n = 20). The age is in good agreement with previously reported TIMS U–Pb ages for the termination of Marinoan glaciation and provides a geochronological constraint for the Ediacaran successions in the Qinling Orogen.     

Elemental characteristics of lacustrine oil shale and its controlling factors of palaeo-sedimentary environment on oil yield: a case from Chang 7 oil layer of Triassic Yanchang Formation in southern Ordos Basin

As an important unconventional resource, oil shale has received widespread attention. The oil shale of the Chang 7 oil layer from Triassic Yanchang Formation in Ordos Basin represents the typical lacustrine oil shale in China. Based on analyzing trace elements and oil yield from boreholes samples, characteristics and paleo-sedimentary environments of oil shale and relationship between paleo-sedimentary environment and oil yield were studied. With favorable quality, oil yield of oil shale varies from 1.4% to 9.1%. Geochemical data indicate that the paleo-redox condition of oil shale’s reducing condition from analyses of V/Cr, V/(V + Ni), U/Th, δU, and authigenic uranium. Equivalent Boron, Sp, and Sr/Ba illustrate that paleosalinity of oil shale is dominated by fresh water. The paleoclimate of oil shale is warm and humid by calculating the chemical index of alteration and Sr/Cu. Fe/Ti and (Fe + Mn)/Ti all explain that there were hot water activities during the sedimentary period of oil shale. In terms of Zr/Rb, paleohydrodynamics of oil shale is weak. By means of Co abundance and U/Th, paleo-water-depth of oil shale is from 17.30 to 157.26 m, reflecting sedimentary environment which is mainly in semi deep–deep lake facies. Correlation analyses between oil yield and six paleoenvironmental factors show that the oil yield of oil shale is mainly controlled by paleo-redox conditions, paleoclimate, hot water activities, and depth of water. Paleosalinity and paleohydrodynamics have an inconspicuous influence on oil yield.     

乌尉高速公路边坡稳定性综合评价

针对乌尉(乌鲁木齐至尉犁)高速公路地处高寒、高海拔、高地震烈度区,地质环境条件复杂的特点,提出一种基于多判据的边坡稳定性模糊综合评价方法。首先,分析研究三高地区公路沿线工程地质条件、边坡岩体结构特征及其变形破坏模式。在此基础上,以TSMR评价体系为框架,考虑地震荷载对边坡稳定性的影响,引入地震作用影响系数β,建立了适用于“三高”地区公路边坡岩体质量分级体系THRSMR;基于边坡可靠性分析理论,归纳总结Monte Carlo法的操作步骤,并借助GEO-SLOPE软件,给出各研究边坡的可靠度指标与失效概率;最后,将定性评价、极限平衡分析、可靠度分析和数值计算的结果分别作为基础指标,采用模糊综合评价方法对每一边坡的边坡稳定性,给出进一步量化结论。其结果对类似地区高速公路边坡稳定性评价具有一定的参考价值。     

藏北羌塘南部埃迪卡拉系达布热组的建立及其地质意义

羌塘位于青藏高原腹地,构造上处于冈瓦纳大陆北缘。因其特殊的构造位置,羌塘地体的起源及构造演化对于探讨青藏高原的早期形成演化、冈瓦纳大陆裂解,以及特提斯洋演化等关键科学问题至关重要。最近,在羌塘南部达布热地区发现一套碎屑岩夹玄武岩的岩石组合,碎屑岩具有低成分成熟度的特点,虽然岩石发生了低绿片岩相变质,但仍然保留了原岩类复理石沉积的特点。根据碎屑锆石定年结果,该套地层中碎屑锆石的最年轻年龄为550Ma左右。此外,该套地层中玄武岩夹层的测年结果表明,该套地层形成于埃迪卡拉纪(约550Ma)。结合地层剖面及区域地层对比,建立了埃迪卡拉纪达布热组。达布热组是羌塘地区首次发现的埃迪卡拉纪地层,该组地层的建立为探讨冈瓦纳大陆北缘构造演化提供了重要线索。