Depositional model for mixed carbonate-clastic sediments in the Middle Cambrian Lower Zhangxia Formation, Xiaweidian, North China

Xingwen Zhang, Xiongqi Pang, Zhenkui Jin, Tao Hu, Abdulkareem Toyin, Ke Wang

Abstract view|914|times       PDF download|7|times

Abstract


 

In order to make accurate decisions in interpreting depositional environments of sedimentary rocks, a multi-proxy approach is best employed. In the Middle Cambrian Lower Zhangxia Formation exposed at Xiaweidian in the Northern China, lack of this form of approach puts doubts on the various models (e.g. carbonate ramp and isolated platform) proposed by previous workers. In this study, we integrated field outcrop investigation with laboratory examinations of thin sections with light and electron microscopies to further understand sedimentary environments of the Lower Zhangxia Formation. Dominant rock types of this formation include oolitic limestone, muddy limestone, flat-pebble limestone and calcareous mudstone. Evidence from ooid features and lime-mud content of oolitic limestones suggests their deposition in an environment with intermittent high energy level. The muddy limestones were formed on a restricted platform with lower wave energy, which is supported by the existence of pyrites in a reducing environment and the input of terrestrial clays from neighboring clastic environments. The flat-pebble limestones were formed by storm reworking of early deposits on restricted platform below a fair-weather wave base, due to their composition and clast features. Mudstones with occurrences of terrestrial silts could be associated with clastic shallow marine adjacent to the restricted platform. A mixed carbonate-clastic depositional model is suggested for this formation and can be used as model for other researchers working in the North China.

Cited as: Zhang, X., Pang, X., Jin, Z., Hu, T., Toyin, A., Wang, K. Depositional model for mixed carbonate-clastic sediments in the Middle Cambrian Lower Zhangxia Formation, Xiaweidian, North China. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2020, 4(1): 29-42, doi: 10.26804/ager.2020.01.04


Keywords


Depositional model, mixed carbonate-clastic sediments,Middle Cambrian, the Lower Zhangxia Formation, Xiaweidian, North China

Full Text:

PDF

References


Adams, A., Mackenzie, I. Carbonate Sediments and Rocks Under the Microscope: A Colour Atlas. Barcelona, Spain, CRC Press, 1998.

Adams, A.E., MacKenzie, W.S., Guilford, C. Atlas of Sedimentary Rocks Under the Microscope. London, UK, Routledge, 2017.

Barker, A.J. A Key for Identification of Rock-Forming Minerals in Thin Section. London, UK, CRC Press, 2014.

Bathurst, R.G.C. Carbonate Sediments and Their Diagenesis. Amsterdam, The Netherland, Elsevier, 1972.

Burchette, T.P., Wright, V.P. Carbonate ramp depositional systems. Sediment. Geol. 1992, 79(1-4): 3-57.

Chambers, R.M., Fourqurean, J.W., Macko, S.A., et al. Biogeochemical effects of iron availability on primary producers in a shallow marine carbonate environment. Limnol. Oceanogr. 2001, 46(6): 1278-1286.

Crawford, C.B., Quinn, B. Microplastic identification techniques, in Microplastic Pollutants, edited by C.B. Crawford, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 219-267, 2017.

Davies, P.J., Bubela, B., Ferguson, J. The formation of ooids. Sedimentology 1978, 25(5): 703-730.

Dunham, R.J. Classification of carbonate rocks according to depositional textures, in Classification of Carbonate Rocks, edited by W.E. Ham, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir 1, Tulsa, pp. 108-121, 1962.

Feng, Z. Lithofacies paleogeography of the Cambrian and Ordovician in China. Beijing, Petroleum Industry Press, 2004. (in Chinese)

Guo, Q., Jin, Z., An, Y., et al. Study on sedimentary environments and patterns of Cambrian Zhangxia Formation at Xiaweidian, Beijing. Acta Sedimentologica Sinica 2019, 37(1): 40-50. (in Chinese)

Haldar, S.K. Introduction to Mineralogy and Petrology. Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Elsevier, 2013.

He, Y., Liu, B., Qin, S., et al. The bioherm and geological significance of Middle Cambrian Zhangxia Formation at Xiaweidian profile in West Hill, Beijing, China. Geological Science and Technology Information 2012, 31(1): 9-15. (in Chinese)

Hu, T., Pang, X., Jiang, S. Impact of paleosalinity, dilution, redox, and paleoproductivity on organic matter enrichment in a saline lacustrine rift basin: A case study of Paleogene organic-rich shale in Dongpu Depression, Bohai Bay Basin, Eastern China. Energy Fuels 2018, 32(4): 5045-5061.

James, N.P., Debrenne, F. Lower Cambrian bioherms: Pioneer reefs of the Phanerozoic. Acta Palaeontol. Pol. 1980, 25(3-4): 655-668.

Jin, Z., Shi, L., Gao, B., et al. Carbonate facies and facies models. Acta Sedimentologica Sinica 2013, 31(6): 965-979. (in Chinese)

Jing, Y., Liu, J., Yan, Z., et al. Reconstructing sea-level changes from types of storm deposits: An example of the middle and late Cambrian at Xiaweidian Section of Western Hills, Beijing. Journal of Palaeogeography 2015, 17(5): 653-668. (in Chinese)

Kang, S., Shao, L., Yi, Q., et al. Study on cambrian petrology and sedimentary environments at Xiaweidian Area, Western Beijing. Coal Geology of China 2016, 28(6): 1-8. (in Chinese)

Kiessling, W., Fl ¨ugel, E., Golonka, J. Patterns of phanerozoic carbonate platform sedimentation. Lethaia 2003, 36(3): 195-225.

Ma, Y., Mei, M., Zhou, R., et al. Forming patterns for the oolitic bank within the sequence-stratigraphic framework: An example from the Cambrian series 3 at the Xiaweidian section in the Western Suburb of Beijing. Acta Petrologica Sinica 2017, 33(4): 1021-1036.

(in Chinese) Mei, M. Depositional trends and sequence-stratigraphic successions under the Cambrian second-order transgressive setting in the North China Platform: A case study of the Xiaweidian section in the western suburb of Beijing. Geology in China 2011, 38(2): 317-337. (in Chinese)

Mei, M., Ma, Y., Mei, S., et al. Framework of Cambrian sedimentary sequence and evolution of carbonate platform in North China. Geoscience 1997, 3: 16-23.

(in Chinese) Meng, X., Ge, M., Tucker, M.E. Sequence stratigraphy, sea-level changes and depositional systems in the Cambro-Ordovician of the North China carbonate platform. Sediment. Geol. 1997, 114(1-4): 189-222.

Myrow, P.M., Tice, L., Archuleta, B., et al. Flatpebble conglomerate: Its multiple origins and relationship to metrescale depositional cycles. Sedimentology 2004, 51(5): 973-996.

Ni, S. Forced regressive sediments in the Zhangxia Formation at the Xiaweidian section in the western suburb of Beijing. Journal of Stratigraphy 2017, 41(1): 103-109.

(in Chinese) Nichols, G. Sedimentology and Stratigraphy. West Sussex, UK, John Wiley & Sons, 2009.

Purkis, S., Kerr, J., Dempsey, A., et al. Large-scale carbonate platform development of Cay Sal Bank, Bahamas, and implications for associated reef geomorphology. Geomorphology 2014, 222: 25-38.

Rankey, E.C., Schlaich, M., Mokhtar, S., et al. Seismic architecture of a Miocene isolated carbonate platform and associated off-platform strata (Central Luconia Province, offshore Malaysia). Mar. Pet. Geol. 2019, 102: 477-495.

Read, J.F. Carbonate platform facies models. AAPG Bull. 1985, 69(1): 1-21.

Roane, T.M., Pepper, I.L. Microscopic techniques, in Environmental Microbiology, edited by L.P. Ian, P.G. Charles and J.G. Terry, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 177-193, 2015.

Scholle, P.A., Ulmer, D.S. A Color Guide to the Petrography of Carbonate Rocks: Grains, Textures, Porosity, Diagenesis. Tulsa, USA, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir 77, 2003.

Sepkoski, J.J. Flat-pebble conglomerates, storm deposits, and the Cambrian bottom fauna, in Cyclic and Event Stratification, edited by G. Einsele and A. Seilacher, Springer, Berlin, pp. 371-385, 1982.

Summons, R.E., Bird, L.R., Gillespie, A.L., et al. Lipid biomarkers in ooids from different locations and ages: Evidence for a common bacterial flora. Geobiology 2013, 11(5): 420-436.

Sumner, D.Y., Grotzinger, J.P. Numerical modeling of ooid size and the problem of Neoproterozoic giant ooids. J. Sediment. Res. 1993, 63(5): 974-982.

Tanaka, N., Takakura, A., Miyatake, N., et al. Comparison of histological findings and the results of energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry analysis in experimental electrical injury. Legal. Med. 2018, 31: 20-23.

Trower, E.J., Lamb, M.P., Fischer, W.W. Experimental evidence that ooid size reflects a dynamic equilibrium between rapid precipitation and abrasion rates. Earth Planet Sci. Lett. 2017, 468: 112-118.

Tucker, M.E. Shallow-marine carbonate facies and facies models. Geological Society, London, Special Publications 1985, 18(1): 147-169.

Wang, C., Fan, K., Yin, Z. Features of ooids in the Middle Cambrian Zhangxia Formation in the Western Hills, Beijing, and their environmental significance. Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences 1990, 22: 39-55. (in Chinese)

Yu, K., Chang, T., Qiu, L., et al. Research development of Flat-pebble conglomerate characteristics and their origin in early paleozoic North China platform. Acta Sedimentologica Sinica 2015, 33(6): 1111-1125.

(in Chinese) Zampetti, V., Schlager, W., van Konijnenburg, J.H., et al. Architecture and growth history of a Miocene carbonate platform from 3D seismic reflection data; Luconia province, offshore Sarawak, Malaysia. Mar. Pet. Geol. 2004, 21(5): 517-534.

Zhang, X., Zhang, N., Yang, Z., et al. Carbonate microfacies and sedimentary facies of Middle Cambrian Formation at Xiaweidian profile in Western Hills, Beijing, China. Geological Science and Technology Information 2009, 28(6): 25-30. (in Chinese)

Zhang, Y., Wan, Y. Origin of the flat pebble conglomerates in the Western Hills, Beijing. Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences 1990, 22: 57-64. (in Chinese)

Zhu, C., Luo, Y., Yang, S., et al. Sequence stratigraphy of Cambrian in Western Hills, Beijing. Geology in China 2009, 36(1): 120-130. (in Chinese)


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2020 The Author(s)

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Copyright ©2018. All Rights Reserved