Ferroan dolomites in Miocene sediments of the Xisha Islands and their genetic model

Carbonate rocks are important reservoirs for global petroleum exploration.The largest oilfield in the South China Sea,Liuhua 11-1,is distributed in the massive carbonate reef area of the Zhujiang(Pearl)River Mouth Basin.Previous studies showed that one 802.17-m-long core from well Xichen-1 in the South China Sea mainly consisted of white and light gray-white organic reefs.Recently,a Miocene whole core(161.9 m long)of well Xiyong-2,near well Xichen-1,was found to contain six layers of yellowish brown,light yellowish gray,iron black,or light yellowish gray-white organic reefs.Scanning electron microscope images of these layers reveal a typical ferroan dolomite rich in Fe(up to 29%),with the high concentrations of Mn,Cu,W,Zn,Cr,Ni,and Co.Systematic X-ray powder diffraction analysis yields a 1.9–6.1 match in phase ratio with ankerite,5.4–26.9 with dolomite,and zero with calcite,which indicate that the samples can be classified as ferroan dolomite.The iron and heavy metals are inferred to be originated from multiple volcanic eruptions of Gaojianshi Island in the Dongdao Atoll during the middle-late Miocene.These elements were dissolved in seawater,likely as a sol,and carried to Yongxing Island in the Xuande Atoll by sea currents and tides enhanced by prevailing winds,and deposited as a part of the sedimentation process in the study area.The ferroan dolomite has Sr content of (125–285)×10~(-6),which is lower than the accepted Sr boundary value of dolomite.This finding suggests that dolomitization occurred during large-scale global glacial regression in the late Miocene.The isolated Xisha carbonate platform,exposed to air,underwent freshwater leaching and dolomitization induced by mixed water,and caused the extensive Fe-Mg exchange along the organic reef profile to form ankerite and ferroan dolomite.These results may help to understand paleoceanographic environmental changes in the South China Sea during the Miocene.     

Fe同位素研究现状及其在西沙群岛铁白云岩研究中的应用

铁是地球中含量最多分布最广的过渡金属元素之一,但针对Fe同位素的研究滞后。介绍了开始于TIMS,到MC-ICP-MS的Fe同位素测试技术,其重要研究进展与现状。指出Fe元素及Fe同位素在自然界中的组成、分布及在生物、非生物有机作用过程中分馏的特征;Fe同位素地球化学及在古海洋学、矿床学等地球科学领域的广泛应用,涉及铁硫化物、铁氧化物和铁碳酸盐矿物-菱铁矿成矿作用。后者目前被认为是碳酸盐岩铁白云岩成因研究的关键,通过铁白云岩中大量铁和重金属来源示踪研究,揭示西沙群岛孤立岛屿环境铁白云岩的成因特征和机制,属于白云岩问题研究重要内容,具有重要的意义。     

澳大利亚西南部风成砂屑灰岩的分布、形态和时代特征

在澳大利亚西南沿海,特别是在南邦(Nambung)国家公园,成千上万个高达5m、宽2m、相距0.5m的锥形风成砂屑灰岩组成壮观的喀斯特地貌,为形成于更新世含钙质/微生物的古土壤沉积物。锥形风成砂屑灰岩的形态多种多样,可以随岩性不同而变化,构成锥形风成沉积岩和圆柱形微生物岩。在南邦,锥形风成砂屑灰岩大量溶解,最后形成大量石英碎屑,石英碎屑经再沉积掩埋再形成这些锥状风成砂屑灰岩,属于风成岩溶作用,发生在70ka前;340~380ka间风成砂屑灰岩发育要弱。