TY - JOUR
T1 - Sedimentology of the Ediacaran barite-bearing cap dolostone from Gaolan, northern Three Gorges, South China
AU - Chen, Xiaoshuai
AU - Kuang, Hongwei
AU - Liu, Yongqing
AU - Le Heron, Daniel Paul
AU - Wang, Yuchong
AU - Bai, Huaqing
AU - Peng, Nan
N1 - Funding Information:
Insightful comments and suggestions from Chief Editor Dr Alex Brasier, Associate Editor Dr Andrea Martín Pérez, and two anonymous reviewers are greatly appreciated. This study was financially supported by the Peking International Innovation and Resource Cooperation Program ‘The Precambrian last glaciation and the evolution of palaeoenvironment and life on Earth’ (Z201100008320007), National Natural Science Foundation of China (42072135, U19B6003 and 41472082), National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFC0601001), China Geological Survey program (DD20221649; DD20190005) and Surplus funds ‘Research on the Neoproterozoic stratigraphic pattern and depositional characteristics in Shennongjia’ (AS2101). The support provided by the China Scholarship Council (201908110328) during a visit of Xiaoshuai Chen to Vienna is also acknowledged. We express our gratitude to Dr Huanxin Song and Dr Yong Tang from Yangtze University, Zhenrui Yang from Fangezhuang Mining Branch, Kailuan Clean Coal Co., Ltd. for their assistance in fieldwork, Dr Cong Zhang and Dr Ben Yang from the Institute of Geology, CAGS for the operation and constructive suggestions on the Raman spectroscopy experiment.
Funding Information:
Insightful comments and suggestions from Chief Editor Dr Alex Brasier, Associate Editor Dr Andrea Martín Pérez, and two anonymous reviewers are greatly appreciated. This study was financially supported by the Peking International Innovation and Resource Cooperation Program ‘The Precambrian last glaciation and the evolution of palaeoenvironment and life on Earth’ (Z201100008320007), National Natural Science Foundation of China (42072135, U19B6003 and 41472082), National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFC0601001), China Geological Survey program (DD20221649; DD20190005) and Surplus funds ‘Research on the Neoproterozoic stratigraphic pattern and depositional characteristics in Shennongjia’ (AS2101). The support provided by the China Scholarship Council (201908110328) during a visit of Xiaoshuai Chen to Vienna is also acknowledged. We express our gratitude to Dr Huanxin Song and Dr Yong Tang from Yangtze University, Zhenrui Yang from Fangezhuang Mining Branch, Kailuan Clean Coal Co., Ltd. for their assistance in fieldwork, Dr Cong Zhang and Dr Ben Yang from the Institute of Geology, CAGS for the operation and constructive suggestions on the Raman spectroscopy experiment.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 International Association of Sedimentologists.
PY - 2023/2
Y1 - 2023/2
N2 - While Ediacaran cap dolostones research is a hot topic, detailed sedimentological analysis of barite-bearing cap dolostones remains scarce. Here, new data are presented from Xiangerwan in northern Three Gorges, South China, to illustrate the sedimentary characteristics, depositional environment and formation mechanism of the barite-bearing cap dolostone. In ascending order, the succession is divided into: (i) pebbly dolostone; (ii) dolostone with unusual sedimentary structures (for example, sheet cracks and tepee structures); and (iii) barite-bearing facies. The gravels of the pebbly dolostone record the slow relative sea-level rise during post-glacial transgression, with a local terrestrial influence. Sheet cracks and tepee structures represent water escape structures in the supratidal and upper intertidal zone, and gently wavy stromatolites in barite-bearing facies are deposits typical of the upper intertidal zone. In addition, primary radial length-slow dolomite cements were originally precipitated at the seafloor. In general, the cap dolostone was formed in a shallow-water ramp environment. The form and sedimentary characteristics of barites indicate a primary (syngenetic) origin and help to divide the barites into bladed (Type I) and needle-like (Type II) variants. With the ongoing melting of the Marinoan glacier and water density stratification, the cap dolostone was gradually precipitated, accompanied by exotic gravels input. The stratification persisted, and special sedimentary structures were widely developed. Phosphorus and barium ions were brought up from the deep basin by upwelling, indicated by the flourishing stromatolites and barite fan deposition. Above the sediment–water interface, the Type I barite first grew upward from substrates, then the Type II barite could grow either in the reverse ‘V-shape’ cavities between and within the Type I barite clusters, forming rhythm layers with bedded dolomite, or scattered in the laminae of stromatolites or surrounding dolomite. Finally, the formation of barite fans indicates the end of cap dolostone deposition and deeper water sedimentation.
AB - While Ediacaran cap dolostones research is a hot topic, detailed sedimentological analysis of barite-bearing cap dolostones remains scarce. Here, new data are presented from Xiangerwan in northern Three Gorges, South China, to illustrate the sedimentary characteristics, depositional environment and formation mechanism of the barite-bearing cap dolostone. In ascending order, the succession is divided into: (i) pebbly dolostone; (ii) dolostone with unusual sedimentary structures (for example, sheet cracks and tepee structures); and (iii) barite-bearing facies. The gravels of the pebbly dolostone record the slow relative sea-level rise during post-glacial transgression, with a local terrestrial influence. Sheet cracks and tepee structures represent water escape structures in the supratidal and upper intertidal zone, and gently wavy stromatolites in barite-bearing facies are deposits typical of the upper intertidal zone. In addition, primary radial length-slow dolomite cements were originally precipitated at the seafloor. In general, the cap dolostone was formed in a shallow-water ramp environment. The form and sedimentary characteristics of barites indicate a primary (syngenetic) origin and help to divide the barites into bladed (Type I) and needle-like (Type II) variants. With the ongoing melting of the Marinoan glacier and water density stratification, the cap dolostone was gradually precipitated, accompanied by exotic gravels input. The stratification persisted, and special sedimentary structures were widely developed. Phosphorus and barium ions were brought up from the deep basin by upwelling, indicated by the flourishing stromatolites and barite fan deposition. Above the sediment–water interface, the Type I barite first grew upward from substrates, then the Type II barite could grow either in the reverse ‘V-shape’ cavities between and within the Type I barite clusters, forming rhythm layers with bedded dolomite, or scattered in the laminae of stromatolites or surrounding dolomite. Finally, the formation of barite fans indicates the end of cap dolostone deposition and deeper water sedimentation.
KW - Barite fan
KW - cap dolostone
KW - Ediacaran
KW - formation mechanism
KW - northern Three Gorges
KW - sedimentary environment
KW - South China
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85141765640&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/sed.13051
DO - 10.1111/sed.13051
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85141765640
SN - 0037-0746
VL - 70
SP - 381
EP - 406
JO - Sedimentology
JF - Sedimentology
IS - 2
ER -