Application of sedimentary pyrite in paleo-environment:a case study of Meihe Formation

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1673-9736.2017.04.05

PDF(283 KB)

Global Geology ›› 2017, Vol. 20 ›› Issue (4) : 229-236. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-9736.2017.04.05

Articles

Application of sedimentary pyrite in paleo-environment:a case study of Meihe Formation

LIU Hang¹, ZHU Jianwei^1,2, CHEN Jingwu¹

Author information +

History +

Abstract

The indices related to sedimentary pyrite are widely used in paleo-environmental studies; however its application principles and flaws have not been presented in detail so far, therefore it is necessary to review the controlling factors of them. In this study the authors described the application principles in detail, including pyrite morphology, C/S ratio, DOP, size distribution, sulfur isotope, and further discussed the C-S-Fe system in oil shale in Meihe Formation which indicates oxic or suboxic conditions during oil shale deposition. The concentration of TOC and S in the oil shale in Meihe Formation is more than that in background mudstone, and the pyrite formation is limited by sulfate. Therefore studying the indices related to pyrite proves to be of great importance.

Key words

sedimentary pyrite / paleo-environment / indices / Meihe Formation

Cite this article

EndNote

Ris (Procite)

Bibtex

Download Citations

LIU Hang, ZHU Jianwei, CHEN Jingwu. Application of sedimentary pyrite in paleo-environment:a case study of Meihe Formation[J]. Global Geology. 2017, 20(4): 229-236 https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1673-9736.2017.04.05

References

Arthur M A, Sageman B B. 1994. Marine shales:depositional mechanisms and environments of ancient deposits. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences,22:499-551.
Bai Y, Liu Z, Sun P,et al. 2015. Rare earth and major element geochemistry of Eocene fine-grained sediments in oil shale-and coal-bearing layers of the Meihe Basin, Northeast China.Journal of Asian Earth Sciences,97(Part A):89-101.
Bai Y Y, Liu Z J, Sun P C,et al. 2014. Organic matter accumulation pattern of coal bearing layers in the lower part of Meihe Formtion in Paleogene, Meihe Basin.Meitan Xuebao/Journal of the China Coal Society,39:458-464. (in Chinese with English abstract)
Berner R A. 1970. Sedimentary pyrite formation.American Journal of Science,268:1-23.
Berner R A. 1972. Sulfate reduction, pyrite formation, and the oceanic sulfur budget//Dyrssen D,Jagner D.(eds.) The Changing chemistry of the oceans. New York:Wiley-Interscience, 347-361..
Berner R A. 1984. Sedimentary pyrite formation:an update.Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 48:605-615.
Berner R A, Raiswell R. 1983. Burial of organic carbon and pyrite sulfur in sediments over phanerozoic time:a new theory.Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta,47:855-862.
Berner R A, Raiswell R. 1984. C/S method for distinguishing freshwater from marine sedimentary rocks.Geology,12:365-368.
Boesen C, Postma D. 1988. Pyrite formation in anoxic environments of the Baltic.American Journal of Science,288:575-603.
Canfield D E, Teske A. 1996. Late Proterozoic rise in atmospheric oxygen concentration inferred from phylogenetic and sulphur-isotope studies.Nature,382:127-132.
Dean W E, Arthur M A. 1989. Iron-sulfur-carbon relationships in organic-carbon-rich sequences I:Cretaceous western interior seaway.American Journal of Science, 289:708-743.
Deditius A P, Utsunomiya S, Reich M,et al. 2011. Trace metal nanoparticles in pyrite.Ore Geology Reviews,42:32-46.
Goldberg T, Strauss H, Guo Q,et al. 2007. Reconstructing marine redox conditions for the Early Cambrian Yangtze Platform:evidence from biogenic sulphur and organic carbon isotopes. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology,254:175-193.
Habicht K S, Canfield D E. 1997. Sulfur isotope fractionation during bacterial sulfate reduction in organic-rich sediments.Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta,61:5351-5361.
Leventhal J S. 1995. Carbon-sulfur plots to show diagenetic and epigenetic sulfidation in sediments.Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta,59:1207-1211.
Luther G W, Church T M, Powell D. 1991. Sulfur speciation and sulfide oxidation in the water column of the Black Sea.Deep Sea Research Part A Oceanographic Research Papers,38:S1121-S1137.
Lyons T W, Berner R A, Berner R A. 1992. Carbon-sulfur-iron systematics of the uppermost deep-water sediments of the Black Sea.Chemical Geology,99:1-27.
Morse J W, Berner R A. 1995. What determines sedimentary C/S ratios? Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta,59:1073-1077.
Raiswell R. 1982. Pyrite texture, isotopic composition and the availability of iron.American Journal of Science,282:1244-1263.
Raiswell R, Buckley F, Berner R A,et al. 1988. Degree of pyritization of iron as a paleoenvironmental indicator of bottom-water oxygenation.Journal of Sedimentary Research,58:812-819.
Raiswell R, Canfield D, Berner R. 1994. A comparison of iron extraction methods for the determination of degree of pyritisation and the recognition of iron-limited pyrite formation. Chemical Geology,111:101-110.
Raiswell R, Canfield D E. 1998. Sources of iron for pyrite formation in marine sediments.American Journal of Science,298:219-245.
Raiswell R, Newton R, Wignall P B. 2001. An indicator of water-column anoxia:resolution of biofacies variations in the Kimmeridge clay (Upper Jurassic, U.K.).Journal of Sedimentary Research,71:286-294.
Schieber J. 2002. Sedimentary pyrite:a window into the microbial past. Geology,30:531-534.
Suits N S, Wilkin R T. 1998. Pyrite formation in the water column and sediments of a meromictic lake.Geology,26:1099-1102.
Tuttle M L, Goldhaber M B. 1993. Sedimentary sulfur geochemistry of the Paleogene Green River Formation, western USA:implications for interpreting depositional and diagenetic processes in saline alkaline lakes. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta,57:3023-3039.
Wignall P, Newton R. 1998. Pyrite framboid diameter as a measure of oxygen deficiency in ancient mudrocks.American Journal of Science,298:537-552.
Wignall P B. 1994. Black Shales. Oxford:Clarendon Press, 127.
Wilkin R T, Arthur M A, Dean W E. 1997. History of water-column anoxia in the Black Sea indicated by pyrite framboid size distributions.Earth and Planetary Science Letters,148:517-525.
Xiong Z, Li T, Algeo T,et al. 2012. Paleoproductivity and paleoredox conditions during late Pleistocene accumulation of laminated diatom mats in the tropical West Pacific.Chemical Geology,334:77-91.
Xu Y B, Liu R, Liu Q J,et al. 2013. Deposition evolution and enrichment pattern of organic matter of the Meihe Formation in the Paleogene Meihe Basin.Journal of China Coal Society,38:2007-2016. (in Chinese with English abstract)
Zaback D A, Pratt L M. 1992. Isotopic composition and speciation of sulfur in the Miocene Monterey Formation:reevaluation of sulfur reactions during early diagenesis in marine environments.Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta,56:763-774.