U‐Pb Detrital Zircon Analysis – Results of an Inter‐laboratory Comparison

Inter‐laboratory comparison of laser ablation ICP‐MS and SIMS U‐Pb dating of synthetic detrital zircon samples provides an insight into the state‐of‐the art of sedimentary provenance studies. Here, we report results obtained from ten laboratories that routinely perform this type of work. The achieved level of bias was mostly within ± 2% relative to the ID‐TIMS U‐Pb ages of zircons in the detrital sample, and the variation is likely to be attributed to variable Pb/U elemental fractionation due to zircon matrix differences between the samples and the reference materials used for standardisation. It has been determined that ~ 5% age difference between adjacent age peaks is currently at the limit of what can be routinely resolved by the in situ dating of detrital zircon samples. Precision of individual zircon age determination mostly reflects the data reduction and procedures of measurement uncertainty propagation, and it is largely independent of the instrumentation, analytical technique and reference samples used for standardisation. All laboratories showed a bias towards selection of larger zircon grains for analysis. The experiment confirms the previously published estimates of the minimum number of grains that have to be analysed in order to detect minor zircon age populations in detrital samples.     

Geochemical Characteristics of Eolian Deposits on the Eastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau and Implications for Provenance

Eolian dust deposition is intimately related to atmospheric circulation and environmental setting of the source region, and therefore is an invaluable tool for studying the evolutionary history of atmospheric circulation patterns and paleoclimatic change. Identifying the provenance of any eolian deposit is crucial not only for reconstructing the paleoenvironmental history of the dust source region, but also for understanding the paleoclimatic significance of various indices. Loess and paleosol samples from the Garze region on the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau(TP) were analyzed for their elemental(major and trace elements) and isotopic(Sm-Nd) geochemistry and compared with those of Northern Chinese(NC) loess formed at the same age. The results show that the geochemical compositions of the Garze loess and paleosol samples are similar to those eolian deposits on the Chinese Loess Plateau(CLP), and also resemble the average UCC. This indicates that the eolian deposits on the eastern margin of the TP were derived from well-mixed sedimentary protoliths that had undergone numerous upper crustal recycling processes, just as with the CLP loess deposits. However, compared with NC loess, the Garze samples have higher ∑REE, Li, Rb, Zr, Cs, Hf and Bi concentrations, higher TiO2/Al2O3, Hf/Nb, La/Nb, Th/Nb and lower K2O/TiO2, Zr/Hf, Ba/Rb ratios. From the Sm-Nd isotopic geochemistry, εNd(0) and 147Sm/144Nd values of Garze loess and paleosol samples are clearly lower than the NC loess. The higher Bi, Zr and Hf concentrations are relevant to the widely distributed acid-magmatic rocks in this region, whereas the higher contents of Li, Cs, Rb are attributed to the high background values of the TP. The geochemical characteristics of the Garze loess and paleosol samples further prove that the local glacial and other Quaternary detrital sediments are predominantly the contributors for the eolian deposits on the eastern margin of the TP. Stable element concentrations and their ratios in the Garze loess and paleosol samples formed at different times have relatively greater variation ranges in comparison with the NC loess, indicating that the source regions for eolian deposits have been unstable since the late Early Pleistocene. We attribute the instability of dust sources to variable earth surface conditions and the changeable TP winter monsoon in direction and intensity, which are in turn related to the uplift of the TP.     

地球化学在物源及沉积背景分析中的应用

物源分析是盆地分析和古地理分析不可或缺的内容和方法,地球化学在物源及沉积背景分析中起着非常重要的作用.运用文献研究法对“地球化学在物源及沉积背景分析中的应用”有关文献进行了研究,分析阐述了常量元素分析、稀土-微量元素分析以及裂变径迹、K-Ar、Ar-Ar、Rb-Sr、Sm Nd、U-Pb、Re-Os、S、O、Si同位素分析等方法及其优势与不足.结果表明:常量元素、稀土-微量元素分析在源区物质组成、构造背景、源区风化强度、成分成熟度及氧化-还原条件判别方面有很好的应用效果;各种同位素分析体系在不同目的的研究中具有自身优势,均得到了很好的应用.但影响岩石化学成分的因素较多,特别是对于沉积岩,很容易受外生营力的影响;物源及沉积背景分析中的地球化学方法运用单一;对研究区区域地质情况的研究不足.为此,建议在利用地球化学方法进行物源及沉积背景分析时,需要充分认识影响碎屑沉积物化学组成的因素,综合运用多种方法进行物源区分析,扬长补短,同时要特别注意对区域地质情况的研究.     

柴达木盆地东缘中新世盆山系统演化与构造古地貌重建

柴达木盆地东缘毗邻柴北缘断裂带与鄂拉山构造带的交接部位,其中新世盆地充填过程为正确认识周缘山脉隆升剥露历史提供了有效约束.本文以乌兰和查查盆地为例,通过沉积地层学研究与物源分析,刻画了柴东地区中新世2个阶段的构造地貌演化历史.中新世早期,乌兰盆地表现为典型的山间挠曲盆地,主要充填辫状河—三角洲沉积体系,其源区为盆地北侧持续抬升的柴北缘断裂带,与鄂拉山地区无明显关联;查查盆地属于典型的背驮盆地,并以稳定的辫状河道沉积为显著特征,其汇水系统起源于柴北缘断裂带中段(甚至西段),向东流经牦牛山地区后,最终汇入共和盆地.因此,该时期鄂拉山并未显著抬升,即柴东与共和盆地隶属统一的前陆盆地系统.至中晚中新世,在区域性左旋剪切作用的驱使下,包括鄂拉山在内的周缘山脉近于同时抬升,使得乌兰盆地脱离共和盆地成为封闭的欠补偿湖盆.与此同时,牦牛山断裂剧烈活动导致查查盆地所在地区整体抬升,从而缺失同时代地层沉积.     

川西南盐津地区志留系龙马溪组页岩地球化学特征及地质意义*

In order to find out the element geochemical characteristics of Silurian Longmaxi Formation shale in Yanjin area,southwestern Sichuan Basin,as well as the material source and structural background of shale formation,the petromineralogy and geochemistry of 19 shale samples from Niuzhai section of Yanjin area were tested and analyzed. Combined with the previous research results and adjacent areas,the rare earth elements were mainly applied to discuss the sedimentary environment, the accumulation rate,material source and tectonic setting of the Longmaxi Formation shale in the study area. The results show that the mineral composition of the Longmaxi Formation in Niuzhai section of Yanjin is mainly quartz,carbonate minerals and clay minerals. The mineral triangle diagram shows that the Longmaxi Formation shale is mainly a combination of clay shale and mixed shale. The normalized partition pattern of rare earth elements is characterized by Ce deficit and weak Eu enrichment. The δCe values,Ni/Co and V/Cr values of the samples indicate that the paleo-water depth increases suddenly in the early stage and becomes shallow gradually in the later stage. Oxygen content gradually changes from anoxic reduction state in the early stage to weak oxidation state in the later stage. La_N/Yb_N values show that the shale deposition rate increases firstly and then decreases under the influence of sea level and terrigenous debris input. Provenance analysis shows that the source rocks area are mainly felsic igneous rocks and intermediate-acid geological bodies of granitoids. The La-Th-Sc diagram and tectonic setting characteristics show that the main tectonic setting of the source rocks is passive continental margin. Combined with previous studies and tectonic setting,it is inferred that the main source of the Longmaxi Formation shale is formed in the Passive continental margin of hypoxia,and the provenance is mainly from the Kang-Dian ancient land to the west of the study area,followed by the Central Guizhou uplift.     

豫西宜洛盆地上二叠统-下三叠统泥质岩地球化学特征与物源分析

宜洛盆地晚二叠世—三叠纪沉积充填演化是秦岭造山带与华北克拉通共同作用的结果,物源分析是揭示盆山耦合的重要手段之一。论文采用沉积地球化学分析的方法对宜洛盆地上二叠统—下三叠统泥质岩地球化学特征与物源进行了研究,结果表明:宜洛盆地泥质岩稀土元素球粒陨石标准化曲线显示轻稀土元素富集,重稀土亏损,为右倾式曲线,元素Eu中度负异常,元素Ce轻微亏损,符合上地壳稀土元素分布特征。泥质岩源区源岩属性判别图解显示,宜洛盆地物源以长英质岩为主,主要来自于上地壳,孙家沟组后期有少量古老基底杂岩混入。构造背景判别图解显示,研究区物源经历了被动大陆边缘为主(孙家沟组下段)—活动大陆边缘为主(孙家沟组上段和刘家沟组)—大陆岛弧为主(和尚沟组)的演化;华北克拉通和秦岭造山带是宜洛盆地重要物源区,华北地台北部内蒙古隆起可能提供了一定量的物源。孙家沟组早期以克拉通内部物源为主,孙家沟组土门段之后秦岭微地块物源供给明显,体现了华北克拉通南缘基底隆升,由被动大陆边缘向秦岭初始"弧-陆"碰撞隆升的构造演化过程。这对深入揭示南华北盆地与周围造山带之间的耦合关系具有重要意义。     

鸭绿江盆地鹰嘴砬子组和馒头组的沉积时限及物源:碎屑锆石U-Pb年代学证据

鸭绿江盆地中生界鹰嘴砬子组与古生界馒头组河口段碎屑锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb的年代学研究结果表明,采自鹰嘴砬子组的凝灰质粉砂岩(样品HD1-3),其碎屑锆石年龄分布区间为3 259~123Ma。主要年龄峰为2 500 Ma(33%)、1 807 Ma(11%)、282 Ma(11%)、235 Ma(5%)、150 Ma(7%)和126 Ma(5%),最年轻的一组锆石加权平均年龄(126 Ma)限定地层的沉积下限为早白垩世,其沉积物源来自于盆地内部及其邻区古元古代、古生代和中生代岩浆作用的产物。采自馒头组河口段的岩屑长石砂岩(样品SD2-1),其碎屑锆石年龄分布区间为2 350~503 Ma。形成的年龄峰值主要为1 553 Ma(13%)、1 396 Ma(13%)、1 086 Ma(17%)和787 Ma(30%)。最小的锆石年龄(503 Ma)限定地层沉积下限为晚寒武世,其沉积物源主要来自鸭绿江盆地内部及其邻区的中元古代和新元古代岩浆作用的产物。     

Geochemistry of Harappan potteries from Kalibangan and sediments in the Ghaggar River: Clues for a dying river

The ephemeral Ghaggar-Hakra River of northwestern India has always been considered to be the remnant of an ancient perennial glacier-fed river(Vedic Saraswati). The exact reason and timing of major hydrological change of this river remains speculative. The river's purported association with the zenith of the Harappan civilisation remains a conjecture because the timings of its fluvial past are still being debated. In this study we have made an attempt to resolve this issue using geochemical provenance of sediments from some dated horizons in the Ghaggar flood plain and that of the material used in the potteries from the Mature Harappan period(4600-3900 yr BP) at Kalibangan. Sampled sedimentary horizons were dated by radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence(OSL) methods. Results of our study from the Ghaggar alluvium indicate that the river did have glacial sources during the early Holocene. However, the data from the potteries suggest that during the Mature Harappan period, the sediments in the Ghaggar as used by the potters did not have a higher Himalayan provenance and hence, were not derived from glaciated Himalayas.These findings imply that during the time of the Mature Harappans the Ghaggar had already become a foothill-fed river.