Molar tooth structures of the Neoarchean Monteville Formation, Transvaal Supergroup, South Africa. I: Constraints on microcrystalline CaCO3 precipitation

Molar tooth (MT) structures are enigmatic, contorted millimetre‐ to decimetre‐long veins and spheroids of microcrystalline calcite that formed during very early diagenesis in Precambrian sediments. MT structures in the ca 2·6 Ga Monteville Formation are 600–800 Myr older than previously reported occurrences and establish that conditions necessary for MT genesis were met locally throughout much of the Precambrian. In the Monteville Formation, MT structures were formed shallow subtidally, extending to depths near storm wave base, in shale host sediments intercalated with storm‐generated carbonate sand lenses. They are filled with microcrystalline calcite and rare pyrite. Microcrystalline calcite identical to that in MT structures fills other pore space, including porosity between grains in carbonate sand lenses, moldic porosity in sand grains, sheet cracks in columnar stromatolites, and shallow cracks on sandy bedding planes. Relationships in the Monteville Formation demonstrate that microcrystalline CaCO₃ precipitated in fluid‐filled cracks and pores; microcrystalline calcite characteristics, as well as the paucity of carbonate mud in host rocks, are inconsistent with injection of lime mud as the origin of MT structures. Locally, MT cracks were filled by detrital sediment before or during precipitation. Precipitation occurred in stages, and MT CaCO₃ evolved from granular cores to a rigid mass of cores with overgrowths – allowing both plastic and brittle deformation of MT structures, as well as reworking of eroded MT structures as rigid clasts and lime mud. Crystal size distributions and morphology suggest that cores precipitated through nucleation, Ostwald ripening and size‐dependent crystal growth, whereas overgrowths formed during size‐independent crystal growth.     

Seismic Sequence in Carbonate Rocks By Vibrational Liquefaction1

Abstract On the basis of the records of strong seismic events taking place in soft carbonate sediments, a new seismic sequence system of vibrational liquefaction is established, which consists of a series of units, such as escaped structure of micrite veins and liquefied deformation formed in the period of seismic liquefaction, land subsidence structure after liquefaction, tsunamic hummocky and turbidite produced by seismic events, This sequence is a generalization and summation of field observation in vast areas, which shows the whole process of a strong seismic event and provides an unified theoretical explanation. The pattern of the seismic sequence by vibrational liquefaction provides one of correlation standards for geologists in the field to discriminate events in carbonate sequences. Based on the pattern of seismic sequence, the authors first advance a new conception of the Palaeo - Tanlu (Tancheng - Lujiang) Zone and discuss primarily its geological significations.     

'Sediment'–cement relationships in a Pleistocene speleothem from Italy: a possible analogue for 'replacement' cements and Archaeolithoporella in ancient reefs

Ancient carbonate buildups may contain extraordinarily large amounts of early diagenetic precipitates. In some, host rock lamination may be traced into inclusion bands within the 'cement' crystals, suggesting that the crystals are replacive. By analogy with a Pleistocene speleothem from the Sorrento Peninsula, however, these relationships can be explained differently. In the speleothem, large, repeatedly split and dendritic calcite crystals occur within a laminated carbonate. Lamination consists of sub-mm alternations of micrite and microspar. Micritic laminae pass laterally into inclusion-rich growth bands in the dendritic calcite crystals, and have replaced an aragonitic cement, whereas the microspar laminae were primary calcite cements. Three types of inclusion-rich bands occur in the dendrite crystals: (1) with aragonite relicts, (2) 'ribbon calcite' and (3) with oriented micropores. When aragonite precipitated, the calcite dendrite branches were unable to keep growing as single crystals and split into crystallites (separated by micropores, some forming ribbon calcite), whereas during episodes of calcite lamina precipitation, the larger crystals were regenerated by crystallite coalescence. Calcite crystals are primary: they did not replace a micritic precursor. By analogy with the Italian speleothem, some ancient reefal sparry carbonates may not be replacements of earlier laminated sediments, but may have grown concurrently with them. It is also probable that some ancient laminated sediments were instead sea-floor precipitates, and that stromatolites containing cross-cutting crystal fabrics, and the alternating micrite-microspar laminae typical of Archaeolithoporella , could be largely abiotic crystal growths.     

New insights into geochemical behaviour in ancient marine carbonates (Upper Jurassic Ammonitico Rosso): Novel proxies for interpreting sea‐level dynamics and palaeoceanography

Elemental concentrations in Phanerozoic sea water are known to fluctuate both in time and space. With regard to carbonates precipitated from marine fluids, elemental concentrations in the carbonate crystal lattice are affected by a complex array of equilibrium and non‐equilibrium as well as post‐depositional alteration processes. To assess the potential of carbonate elemental chemostratigraphy, seven Upper Jurassic sections were investigated along a proximal to distal transect across the south‐east Iberian palaeomargin. The aim was to explore stratigraphic and spatial variations in calcium, strontium, magnesium, iron and manganese elemental abundances. The epicontinental geochemical record is influenced by the combination of continental runoff and a significant diagenetic overprint. In contrast, the epioceanic geochemical record agrees with reconstructed open marine sea water values, reflecting a moderate degree of syn‐depositional to early marine pore water diagenesis. Establishing a fair degree of preservation of matrix micrite, a thorough statistical approach was applied and elemental associations tested for their environmental significance. Principal component and hierarchical cluster analyses revealed a persistent relation between carbonate magnesium, iron and strontium abundances. Processes related to early diagenetic nodulation in Ammonitico Rosso facies most probably account for the incorporation of these elements in the calcium carbonate lattice. The clear decoupling of carbonate manganese abundance with respect to the remaining elements is documented and related to high sea floor spreading rates and hydrothermal activity during the Late Jurassic. The investigation of potential time‐fluctuation of geochemical patterns was approached through variogram computation. The observed temporal behaviour is most likely to be forced by relative sea‐level dynamics, reflecting Late Jurassic palaeoceanographic conditions and potential planetary interactions. The data obtained in this study highlight the utility of elemental data from carbonate matrix micrites as geochemical proxies for studying the influence of remote trigger factors.     

白云鄂博赋矿白云岩与微晶丘和碳酸岩墙的碳氧同位素对比研究

本文通过方解石和白云石的碳和氧同位素分析,对比研究了白云鄂博赋矿白云岩、黑脑包微晶丘、北京西山微晶丘、宽沟北正常沉积灰岩和白云鄂博碳酸岩墙,从而探讨了赋矿白云岩的成因及其与超大型Fe-Nb-REE矿床的成因关系。结果为:①黑脑包腮林忽洞群顶部微晶丘和北京西山寒武系顶部微晶丘碳酸盐的δ~(13)C值都在0±2‰左右,δ~(18)O值为18.3‰～25.1‰,均具有典型海相沉积碳酸盐岩的特点;②白云鄂博东矿采场δ~(13)C值为-7.9‰～-1.1‰,δ~(18)O值为9.1‰～20.9‰;矿区东西两端δ~(13)C值-7.9‰～-0.6‰,δ~(18)O值8.6‰～25.7‰;均介于地幔流体与典型沉积碳酸盐岩之间。部分赋矿白云岩样品中白云石与方解石之间的碳氧同位素分馏△~(13)C和△~(18)O值均小于0‰,表明其受到过次生蚀变作用,低δ~(18)O值白云石样品所对应的负△~(18)O值反映了地幔镁质流体对沉积碳酸盐岩的强烈交代作用;③矿区—富稀土碳酸岩墙的δ~(13)C值为-7.2‰～-4.7‰,δ~(18)O价值为11.9‰～16.4‰,表明其碳酸岩岩浆并非原始地幔来源,而可能与俯冲板块携带的沉积碳酸盐岩与地幔流体在深部的高温混合熔融有关。碳酸岩墙中白云石与方解石之间的碳和氧同位素分馏均小于0‰,说明该碳酸岩墙中的白云石与方解石并非同成因矿物,至少其中之一为     

Marine cements in mid-Tertiary cool-water shelf limestones of New Zealand and southern Australia

Large areas of southern Australia and New Zealand are covered by mid‐Tertiary limestones formed in cool‐water, shelf environments. The generally destructive character of sea‐floor diagenesis in such settings precludes ubiquitous inorganic precipitation of carbonates, yet these limestones include occasional units with marine cements: (1) within rare in situ biomounds; (2) within some stacked, cross‐bedded sand bodies; (3) at the top of metre‐scale, subtidal, carbonate cycles; and (4) most commonly, associated with certain unconformities. The marine cements are dominated by isopachous rinds of fibrous to bladed spar, interstitial homogeneous micrite and interstitial micropeloidal micrite, often precipitated sequentially in that order. Internal sedimentation of microbioclastic micrite may occur at any stage. The paradox of marine‐cemented limestone units in an overall destructive cool‐water diagenetic regime may be explained by the precipitation of cement as intermediate Mg‐calcite from marine waters undersaturated with respect to aragonite. In some of the marine‐cemented limestones, aragonite biomoulds may include marine cement/sediment internally, suggesting that dissolution of aragonite can at times be wholly marine and not always involve meteoric influences. We suggest that marine cementation occurred preferentially, but not exclusively, during periods of relatively lowered sea level, probably glacio‐eustatically driven in the mid‐Tertiary. At times of reduced sea level, there was a relative increase in both the temperature and the carbonate saturation state of the shelf waters, and the locus of carbonate sedimentation shifted towards formerly deeper shelf sites, which now experienced increased swell wave and/or tidal energy levels, fostering sediment abrasion and reworking, reduced sedimentation rates and freer exchange of sediment pore‐waters. Energy levels were probably also enhanced by increased upwelling of cold, deep waters onto the Southern Ocean margins of the Australasian carbonate platforms, where water‐mass mixing, warming and loss of CO₂ locally maintained critical levels of carbonate saturation for sea‐floor cement precipitation and promoted the phosphate‐glauconite mineralization associated with some of the marine‐cemented limestone units.     

Seismic Sequence in Carbonate Rocks By Vibrational Liquefaction

On the basis of the records of strong seismic events taking place in soft carbonate sediments, a new seismic sequence system of vibrational liquefaction is established, which consists of a series of units, such as escaped structure of micrite veins and liquefied deformation formed in the period of seismic liquefaction, land subsidence structure after liquefaction, tsunamic hummocky and turbidite produced by seismic events, This sequence is a generalization and summation of field observation in vast areas, which shows the whole process of a strong seismic event and provides an unified theoretical explanation. The pattern of the seismic sequence by vibrational liquefaction provides one of correlation standards for geologists in the field to discriminate events in carbonate sequences. Based on the pattern of seismic sequence, the authors first advance a new conception of the Palaeo-Tanlu (Tancheng-Lujiang) Zone and discuss primarily its geological significations.     

Molar tooth structures of the Neoarchean Monteville Formation, Transvaal Supergroup, South Africa. II: A wave-induced fluid flow model

Sedimentological, morphological, and geochemical characteristics of molar tooth (MT) structures in the ca 2·6 Ga Monteville Formation suggest a new fluid flow model for MT formation: (i) intercalated shales and carbonate sands were deposited near to above storm wave base; (ii) sediments cracked, forming an interconnected network of MT cracks that were also open to pores in sand lenses; (iii) storm waves pumped sea water into open MT crack networks, causing rapid microcrystalline carbonate nucleation, Ostwald ripening of nuclei, and growth of granular carbonate cores; some of these cores were transported by water flowing through the cracks; (iv) unfilled MT cracks collapsed, and filled MT ribbons deformed plastically as host sediments compacted and dewatered; (v) carbonate cores were overgrown by polygonal rims; and (vi) MT structures deformed brittlely with additional compaction and produced pebbly lags if reworked. MT cracks may have formed by multiple mechanisms; however, expansion of gas from organic decay and sediment heaving due to wave loading best explain MT crack morphology and are most consistent with the fluid flow model for MT CaCO₃ presented here.     

Calcified Biofilms from Cambrian Oolitic Limestones in China

Calcified biofilms are preserved as thin micritic coatings in the Cambrian oolitic limestone of two sections in North and South China. Standard petrographic examination revealed that the biofilms were developed during the early diagenetic stage immediately after the freshly deposited ooids, proceeding in the continuous sequence of depositional processes. The biofilm outlines are highly irregular, with steep sides, tower-like structures and overhanging projections; the internal fabric of the biofilms is composed of roughly laminated micrite aggregates with channel-like structures. Biofilms exhibit a strong fluorescent reaction. Detailed SEM examination suggests that the biofilms are biotically dominated by cyanobacteria. Our study demonstrates that microbial colonies, such as biofilms, can develop on ooid cortices and influence the formation and microstructures of those ooids.     

白云鄂博地区相关地质单元的铁同位素特征及其对白云鄂博矿床成因的制约

白云鄂博Fe-REE-Nb矿床是世界著名的巨型多金属矿床,它的成因一直是个激烈争论的问题,观点主要集中在沉积成因和岩浆成因上,而铁的物质来源问题是争论的焦点之一。近年来Fe同位素的快速发展为解决白云鄂博铁矿的成因提供了新思路。对白云鄂博地区发育的白云鄂博群尖山组铁质板岩、宽沟北沉积型铁矿、腮林忽洞微晶丘、灰绿岩墙这些相关地质单元的Fe同位素组成特征进行了研究,为白云鄂博矿床成因研究提供了最直接的参考。结果表明,尖山组铁质板岩的δ56Fe值为-0.49‰～0.48‰,平均值为-0.03‰±0.84‰,2SD,n=5;宽沟北沉积型铁矿的δ56Fe值为-0.68‰～0.23‰,平均值为-0.10‰±0.78‰,2SD,n=5;腮林忽洞微晶丘δ56Fe值为-0.64‰～0.12‰,平均值为-0.28‰±0.57‰,2SD,n=6;辉绿岩的Fe同位素组成δ56Fe值集中在0.11‰～0.16‰。腮林忽洞微晶丘总体上比白云鄂博赋矿白云岩富集Fe的轻同位素,Fe同位素组成变化也相对更大,表明两者可能有不同的成因。白云鄂博地区尖山组铁质板岩、宽沟北沉积型铁矿与世界其他地区含铁沉积建造的Fe同位素组成类似,其共同特征是,Fe同位素变化较大,总体上δ56Fe大于0‰。这一特征与白云鄂博铁矿的Fe同位素组成差别较大。白云鄂博矿床的δ56Fe集中在0‰附近,与白云鄂博地区灰绿岩、世界不同地区火成岩和岩浆型铁矿的Fe同位素组成特征一致。表明白云鄂博铁矿可能不是沉积成因的,更有可能与岩浆作用有关。