Unlocking the shiny surface features of shale shear fractures at micro-nanoscale
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Abstract
Shale shear fracture mirrors are key indicators of localized shear deformation, yet their high reflectivity origin remains unclear. This study employs electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy to analyze fracture mirrors from the Lower Cambrian Qiongzhusi shale. Results reveal the shiny surface is not merely a product of mechanical polishing but is primarily attributed to the formation of highly ordered nanocoatings on fracture surface. The coatings comprise aligned clay minerals and, crucially, organic materials that have undergone shear-induced partial graphitization. Transmission electron microscopy reveals a about 0.46 nm lattice fringe spacing, and Raman spectroscopy confirms a moderate structural order and an elevated thermal maturity of organic matter. This transformation yields a dense material dominated by ultra-micropores, which minimizes light scattering of fracture surface. The formation of fracture mirrors results from shear displacement and frictional heating, which lead to mechanical comminution and microstructural reorganization. This finding establishes the shear fracture mirrors as the key indicators for revealing bedding-parallel slip history in shale-involved detachment and, more practically, for assessing fluid migration pathways, seal integrity, and natural fracture networks in shale gas systems.
Document Type: Short communication
Cited as: Zhu, H., Qi, B., Li, J., Li, C., Raza, A., Guo, C. Unlocking the shiny surface features of shale shear fractures at micro-nanoscale. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2025, 18(2): 202-206. https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2025.11.10
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DOI (PDF): https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2025.11.10
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