Sulfides in Sandy Sediments: New Insights on the Reactions Responsible for Sedimentary Pyrite Formation

The formation of sedimentary iron sulfides was studied in sandy sediments of the Laguna Madre, TX, in order to better understand how this process operates in sediments where reactive iron is likely to be limiting for sulfide mineral formation. These sediments usually had reactive iron and total reduced sulfide concentrations one to two orders of magnitude less than in typical shallow water terrigenous muds, but organic-C concentrations typical of fine-grained sediments due to the extensive presence of seagrass beds. This resulted in moderate (0–150 m) dissolved H2S concentrations with maximum concentrations in the upper (3–:5 cm) root zone. Based on citrate dithionite extractable-Fe the degree of sulfidization was usually 100% or greater. Acid volatile sulfides (AVS) typically comprised roughly 60% of total reduced sulfur and the proportion of AVS generally increased instead of decreasing with depth. The unusual proportion of TRS as AVS and persistence of AVS are attributed to exceptionally slow pyrite formation kinetics. The probable reasons for these slow reaction kinetics are the high (>7.8) pH of the sediments, which favors the slow polysulfide pathway for pyrite formation, high (typically about 2–4 mm) dissolved organic carbon concentrations that inhibit growth of pyrite and the low concentration of reactants which greatly increases the average transport distances necessary for diffusion controlled reactions.     

松辽盆地白垩纪沉积特征

松辽盆地晚侏罗世岩石圈破裂后,玄武岩浆喷溢,在白垩纪,盆地经历了裂前成穹、拉张破裂、断陷、断陷转向坳陷、坳陷和萎缩等6个地质演化阶段(图10),盆地中充填了厚近万米的陆相沉积。各演化阶段具有不同的沉积序列。早白垩世沙河子组至营城组时期,为断陷盆地发育阶段,形成火山岩-冲积扇-扇三角洲-湖泊(夹阵发型浊积岩)-沼泽相的序列;早白垩世登娄库组时期,盆地为从断陷向坳陷转化阶段,形成冲泛平原-湖泊相为主的序列;早白垩世泉头组-晚白垩世嫩江组时期,盆地为坳陷活动阶段,形成了冲泛平原-三角洲-湖泊(夹稳定型浊积岩)相;而晚白垩世四方台组-明水组时期,盆地进入萎缩阶段,再度出现以冲泛平原-冲积扇及小型残存湖泊沉积为主的沉积序列。这一垂向上的沉积序列,充分显示出夭折大陆裂谷的沉积特征。有许多事实说明在盆地发展的坳陷阶段发生过两次大的湖侵,且与全球海平面上升同步,导致湖与海沟通。     

北秦岭庙湾组黑色岩系稀土元素地球化学特征及成因意义

笔者采用等离子质谱仪(ICP-MS)方法对北秦岭大荆区奥陶纪—志留纪庙湾组黑色岩系岩石的稀土元素及V、Ni、Cr、U、Th等微量元素含量进行了测定。结果显示岩石轻稀土元素相对重稀土元素富集, Eu异常值δEu为0.63~10.61(绝多数大于1.54)多呈正异常, Ce异常值δCe为0.65~1.02(平均为0.893) 异常微弱且有正负差异; U/Th值为0.38~4.07, w (V)/w (V +Ni)值为0.38~0.93以及w (Ce)/w (La)值为1.27~2.17。将这些特征值与前人研究成果对比, 并利用La/Yb-Ce/La和La/Yb-REE判别图解判别后, 认为北秦岭区庙湾组黑色岩系形成于活动陆缘一种干燥缺氧较深浅海环境, 黑色岩系形成过程中有热液作用参与。     

贵州早寒武世的缺氧事件沉积

贵州早寒武世的黑色岩系属中国南方该时期缺氧事件沉积的一部分,为一套沉积速率低的海侵体系域沉积.主要为黑色页岩,发育水平纹理,主要含浮游生物,其中产钼、钒等矿床.其具有独特的元素地球化学特征SiO2、TiO2、Al2O3的含量相对较高;富集Mo、V、Ba、Ag、Au、U等元素,而Co、Sr、Ta等元素却亏损;稀土总量不高,为130×10-5～226×10-6,稀土配分曲线形态近于水平或略向右倾,具弱的负Ce异常和正Eu异常.地层特征、元素地球化学特征及特征元素比值所反映的是早寒武世黑色岩系形成于缺氧的还原环境,而缺氧沉积中有热水沉积的加入.     

松辽盆地北部白垩纪青山口组黑色页岩元素地球化学特征及沉积古环境恢复

对松辽盆地北部青山口组118块页岩样品进行有机碳和元素地球化学测试,运用一系列判别古气候、古盐度、古生产力和古氧化还原条件的地化指标,恢复青山口组黑色页岩的沉积环境,探讨富有机质页岩成因机制。青山口组沉积期为温暖半湿润亚热带气候,古气温>15℃,水体为陆相微咸水—半咸水环境,盐度5‰~10‰。青山口组底部发育厚度约30 m的富有机质页岩,TOC最高达到9.39%,自下而上有机碳含量逐渐变低。富有机质页岩Cu、Ni、Mo和Zn含量高,发育大量胶磷矿、藻席,表明青山口组早期湖盆生产力达到峰值,为有机质富集提供物质基础。U元素含量以及V/(V+Ni)、V/Sc比值较高,表明青山口组早期水体为强还原环境,为富有机质页岩保存提供有利条件。中-晚期随着湖盆收缩、水体变浅,还原环境遭到破坏,有机碳含量降低。TOC与古生产力及氧化还原指标呈正相关关系,表明有机质含量的变化主要受控于湖盆生产力和氧化还原环境。古海侵事件带来丰富营养物质,极大提高了湖盆生产力,保证有机质大量供应;同时海侵造成盐度分层,使底部水体的强还原环境不受破坏,促进了有机质的保存。松辽盆地青山口组在白垩纪全球缺氧事件影响下形成了面积约5×10^-3km;的黑色页岩,是页岩油勘探的重要目标。     

藏南措美残余大火成岩省的西延及意义

在西藏南东部和澳大利亚南西部新识别出的早白垩世Comei-Bunbury大火成岩省的范围还未能得到很好约束。为探讨这一问题,本文报道了西藏南东部浪卡子-洛扎以西、江孜、康马地区广泛分布的近东西向基性岩墙和少量玄武岩的岩石学和地球化学数据。这些以辉绿岩、辉长岩为主的镁铁质岩石属于碱性-亚碱性玄武岩系列,在地球化学上主要包括高Ti的洋岛玄武岩型和低Ti的大洋中脊玄武岩型,两者的εNd(t)值分别为(+0.9～+2.0)和(+4.6～+5.8)。这两种类型岩石的地球化学特征均与措美残余大火成岩省内的对应类型可比,暗示它们与措美残余大火成岩省一样,均形成于由地幔柱作用于大陆岩石圈引起的伸展背景,代表该残余大火成岩省的西延。本文研究结果使得现今保留在特提斯喜马拉雅带上的Comei-Bunbury大火成岩省的残余面积接近50000km2。该大火成岩省的大规模岩浆活动可能是引发研究区甚至全球早白垩世大洋缺氧事件的一个重要因素。     

南海东北部HD196A岩心的自生条状黃铁矿

自生黄铁矿是海洋沉积物缺氧硫酸盐还原过程的主要产物。南海东北部的HD196A岩心中发现大量条状的自生黄铁矿,以中空或实心为主。含量分析表明,岩心500cm附近为黄铁矿富集带,与沉积物有机碳(Corg)、硫酸盐[SO4]2-、甲烷(CH4)以及碳酸钙(CaCO3)的地球化学特征分界一致,是岩心的沉积边界,反映了沉积物所处的缺氧环境。岩心沉积物地球化学剖面表明,有机质参与的硫酸盐还原过程和甲烷厌氧氧化作用是黄铁矿形成的主要因素。黄铁矿异常可以作为指示沉积物甲烷异常的标志之一。     

松辽盆地白垩纪缺氧地质事件的地质地球化学特征

松辽盆地白垩纪出现多期缺氧地质事件,它与全球白垩纪的地质事件相对应。青山口组一段及嫩江组一段出现较明显的缺氧地质事件,表现为有机质丰度高的源岩沉积。可溶有机质具有较低的姥植比,生物标志物出现了28,30 双降藿烷及保存了相对较为完整的C34或C35藿烷、重排甾烷的含量很低、有伽马蜡烷的存在等特征。松辽盆地在白垩纪时存在缺氧事件和海侵事件,与此同时,缺氧事件造成了这些地层中富含并具有高度分散性区域特征的生物化石的组合,形成了层序地层学上的密集段;缺氧事件又反作用于底栖生物,导致了松辽盆地古生物演化史上的生物绝灭事件。松辽盆地以持续沉降为主,湖盆水域迅速扩大,水体加深,近岸湖水表层生物生产率提高,底层水循环不畅导致了湖水底层水体缺氧,引发了古湖泊缺氧事件。在松辽盆地的缺氧事件中形成了青山口组一段及嫩江组一段的黑色泥岩(部分地区发育页岩),成为松辽盆地的主力油源层,为大庆油田的形成奠定了良好的物质基础。     

Aptian palaeoclimates and identification of an OAE1a equivalent in shallow marine environments of the southern Tethyan margin: Evidence from Southern Tunisia (Bir Oum Ali section,Northern Chott Chain)

Alternations between siliciclastic, carbonate and evaporitic sedimentary systems, as recorded in the Aptian mixed succession of southern Tunisia, reflect profound palaeoceanographic and palaeoclimatic changes in this area of the southern Tethyan margin. The evolution from Urgonian-type carbonates (Berrani Formation, lower Aptian) at the base of the series, to intervals dominated by gypsum or detrital deposits in the remainder of the Aptian is thought to result from the interplay between climate change and tectonic activity that affected North Africa.Based on the evolution of clay mineral assemblages, the early Aptian is interpreted as having been dominated by slightly humid conditions, since smectitic minerals are observed. Near the early to late Aptian boundary, the onset of a gypsiferous sedimentation is associated with the appearance of palygorskite and sepiolite, which supports the installation of arid conditions in this area of the southern Tethyan margin. The evaporitic sedimentation may have also been promoted by the peculiar tectonic setting of the Bir Oum Ali area during the Aptian, where local subsidence may have been tectonically enhanced linked to the opening of northern and central Atlantic. Stress associated with the west and central African rift systems may have triggered the development of NW–SE, hemi-graben structures. Uplifted areas may have constituted potential new sources for clastic material that has been subsequently deposited during the late Aptian.Chemostratigraphic (δ¹³C) correlation of the Bir Oum Ali succession with other peri-Tethyan regions complements biostratigraphic findings, and indicates that a potential expression of the Oceanic Anoxic Event (OAE) 1a may be preserved in this area of Tunisia. Although the characteristic negative spike at the base of this event is not recognized in the present study, a subsequent, large positive excursion with δ¹³C values is of similar amplitude and absolute values to that reported from other peri-Tethyan regions, thus supporting the identification of isotopic segments C4–C7 of the OAE1a. The absence of the negative spike may be linked to either non preservation or non deposition: the OAE1a occurred in a global transgressive context, and since the Bir Oum Ali region was located in the innermost part of the southern Tethyan margin during most of the Aptian, stratigraphic hiatuses may have been longer than in other regions of the Tethys. This emphasizes the importance of integrating several stratigraphic disciplines (bio-, chemo- and sequence stratigraphy) when performing long-distance correlation.