THE GEOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TRACE ELEMENTS AND REES IN SURFICIAL SEDIMENTS OF THE SOUTHWESTERN SOUTH CHINA SEA AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS

CAI Guanqiang; QIU Yan; PENG Xuechao; ZHONG Hexian

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1140.2010.05053

2010 Vol. 30, No. 5

Article Contents

Article navigation > Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology > 2010 > 30(5): 53-62

Next Article Previous Article

CAI Guanqiang, QIU Yan, PENG Xuechao, ZHONG Hexian. THE GEOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TRACE ELEMENTS AND REES IN SURFICIAL SEDIMENTS OF THE SOUTHWESTERN SOUTH CHINA SEA AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS[J]. Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology, 2010, 30(5): 53-62. doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1140.2010.05053

Citation:

CAI Guanqiang, QIU Yan, PENG Xuechao, ZHONG Hexian. THE GEOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TRACE ELEMENTS AND REES IN SURFICIAL SEDIMENTS OF THE SOUTHWESTERN SOUTH CHINA SEA AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS[J]. Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology, 2010, 30(5): 53-62. doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1140.2010.05053

THE GEOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TRACE ELEMENTS AND REES IN SURFICIAL SEDIMENTS OF THE SOUTHWESTERN SOUTH CHINA SEA AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS

The Department of Offshore Marine Geological Survey, Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, Guangzhou 510760, China

Received Date: 19 January 2010

Revised Date: 30 June 2010

Abstract

Abstract

This paper presents the trace elements and REEs composition of the surficial sediments from the southwestern South China Sea (SCS). The results show that the samples have relatively low Zr, Sc, V, Nb, Hf, Th, REEs contents and high Co, Cu, Ni, Ta, Rb, Cs, Sr, Ba contents, compared with the upper continental crust (UCC). The sediments from marine basins have higher Co, Zr, Sc, V, Nb, Hf, Ta, Th and REEs abundances than those from the continental slope. Factor and correlation analyses indicate that most of these elements are land-derived.The immobile elements such as Th, Cr, Co, Sc, Nb, Zr, Hf and REEs are indicators of source rocks.There shows no influences from weathering, transportation and diluting effect of biologic materials.The high La/Sc, Th/Sc, Th/Cr, Th/Co ratios and UCC-like rare earth elements distribution patterns characterized by high ΣLREE/ΣHREE ratios and low δEu values suggest that the source of the studied sediments are mainly from continental crust with felsic rocks as the majority, but the contribution of basic/ultrabasic rocks is ignorable and the volcanic clast content in the sediments is also very low. With reference to the geography of the studied areas, the geochemistry of surficial sediments from the southwestern SCS indicates that the materials are mainly from neighbour continents, probably the Indo-China block.Both the continental slope and marine basins show a common provenance according to their similarity in trace and rare earth elements compositions.
- trace elements /
- rare earth elements /
- provenance /
- South China Sea

FullText(HTML)

References

[1]	WANG L J, Sarnthein M, Erlenkeuser H, et al. East Asian monsoon climate during the Late Pleistocene:high-resolution sediment records from the South China Sea[J]. Marine Geology, 1999, 156:245-284. Google Scholar
[2]	钱建兴. 晚第四纪以来南海古海洋学研究[M]. 北京:科学出版社, 1999:1-167.[QIAN Jianxing.A Study of Paleoceanography in the South China Sea During Late Quaternary[M]. Beijing:Science Press, 1999.] Google Scholar
[3]	翦知湣, 王吉良, 成鑫荣, 等. 南海北部晚新生代氧同位素地层学[J].中国科学D辑,2001,31(10):800-807. Google Scholar [JIAN Zhimin, WANG Jiliang, CHENG Xinrong, et al. Oxygen isotope stratigraphy and events in the northern South China Sea during the last 6 million years[J]. Science in China (Series D), 2001, 31(10):800-807.] Google Scholar
[4]	汪品先, 翦知湣, 赵泉鸿, 等. 南海演变与季风历史的深海证据[J]. 科学通报, 2003, 48(21):2228-2239. Google Scholar [WANG Pinxian, JIAN Zhimin, ZHAO Quanhong, et al. Evolution of the South China Sea and monsoon history revealed in deep sea records[J]. Chinese Science Bulletin, 2003, 48(21):2228-2239.] Google Scholar
[5]	Wei G J, Liu Y, Li X H, et al. High-resolution elemental records from the South China Sea and their paleoproductivity implications[J]. Paleoceanography, 2003a, 18:1054-1065. Google Scholar
[6]	汪品先. 十五万年来的南海[M]. 上海:同济大学出版社, 1995.[WANG Pinxian. South China Sea Since 150000 Years[M]. Shanghai:Publishing House of Tongji University, 1995.] Google Scholar
[7]	Wang P X. Response of western Pacific marginal seas to glacial cycles:Paleoceanographic and sedimentological features[J]. Marine Geo1ogy, 1999, 156:5-39. Google Scholar
[8]	Wei, G J, Shao L, Liu Y, et al. Climatic impact on Al, K, Sc and Ti in marine sediments:Evidence from ODP Site 1144, South China Sea. Geochemical Journal, 2003b, 37:593-602. Google Scholar
[9]	Clift P D, Sun Z.The sedimentary and tectonic evolution of the Yinggehai Song Hong Basin and the southern Hainan margin, South China Sea; implications for Tibetan uplift and monsoon intensification[J]. Journal of Geophysical Research 111,2006,B06405. doi:10.1029/2005 JB004048. Google Scholar
[10]	刘志飞, 赵玉龙, 李建如, 等. 南海西部越南岸外晚第四纪粘土矿物记录:物源分析与东亚季风演化[J]. 中国科学D辑, 2007, 37(9):1176-1184. Google Scholar [LIU Zhifei, ZHAO Yulong, LI Jianru, et al. Late Quaternary clay minerals off Middle Vietnam in the western South China Sea:Implications for source analysis and East Asian monsoon evolution[J]. Science in China (Series D), 2007, 37(9):1176-1184.] Google Scholar
[11]	McLennan S M. Rare earth elements in sedimentary rocks:influence of provenance and sedimentary processes[J]. Reviews in Mineralogy, 1989, 21:170-199. Google Scholar
[12]	Cullers R L. The controls on the major and trace element variation of shales, siltstones and sandstones of Pennsylvanian-Permian age, from uplifted continental block in Colorado to platform sediment in Kansas, USA[J]. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 1994, 55:4955-4972. Google Scholar
[13]	金秉福, 林振宏. 海洋沉积环境和物源的元素地球化学记录释读[J]. 海洋科学进展, 2003, 21(1):99-106. Google Scholar [JIN Bingfu, LIN Zhenhong. Interpretation of element geochemical records of marine sedimentary environment and provenance[J]. Advance in Marine Science, 2003, 21(1):99-106.] Google Scholar
[14]	刘季花, 石学法, 陈丽蓉,等. 东太平洋沉积物中粘土组分的REEs和ε_Nd——粘土来源的证据[J]. 中国科学D辑, 2004, 34(6):552-561. Google Scholar [LIU Jihua, SHI Xuefa, CHEN Li-rong, et al. REE and ε_Nd of clay fractions in sediments from the eastern Pacific Ocean:Evidence for clay sources[J]. Science in China (Series D), 2004, 34(6):552-561.] Google Scholar
[15]	邵磊, 李献华, 韦刚健, 等. 南海陆坡高速堆积体的物质来源[J]. 中国科学D辑, 2001, 31(10):828-833. Google Scholar [SHAO Lei, LI Xianhua, WEI Gangjian, et al. Material source of high-speed congeries in South China Sea[J]. Science in China (Series D), 2001, 31(10):828-833.] Google Scholar
[16]	Li X H, Wei G J, Liu Y, et al. Geochemical and Nd isotopic variations in sediments of the South China Sea:a response to Cenozoic tectonism in SE Asia[J]. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2003, 211:207-220. Google Scholar
[17]	Tamburini F, Adatte T, F llmi K, et al. Investigating the history of East Asian monsoon and climate during the last glacial interglacial period (0~140000 years):mineralogy and geochemistry of ODP Sites 1143 and 1144, South China Sea[J]. Marine Geology, 2003, 201:147-168. Google Scholar
[18]	Boulay S, Colin C, Trentesaux A, et al. Mineralogy and sedimentology of Pleistocene sediment in the South China Sea (ODP Site 1144)[C]. In:Prell W L, Wang P, Blum P, et al, eds. Proc ODP Sci Res, 2003, 184:1-21. Google Scholar
[19]	Wehausen R, Brumsack H J. Astronomical forcing of the East Asian monsoon mirrored by the composition of Pliocene South China Sea sediments[J].Earth Planet Sci.Lett., 2002, 201:621-636. Google Scholar
[20]	乔培军, 邵磊, 杨守业. 南海西南部晚更新世以来元素地球化学特征的古环境意义[J]. 海洋地质与第四纪地质, 2006, 26(4):59-65. Google Scholar [QIAO Peijun, SHAO Lei, YANG Shouye. The paleoenvironmental significance of the character of the element geochemistry in the southwestern South China Sea since late Pleistocene[J]. Marine Geology and Quaternary Geology, 2006, 26(4):59-65.] Google Scholar
[21]	朱赖民, 高志友, 尹观, 等.南海表层沉积物的稀土和微量元素的丰度及其空间变化[J].岩石学报, 2007, 23(11):2963-2980. Google Scholar [ZHU Laimin, GAO Zhiyou, YIN Guan,et al. Content and spatial change of rare earth element and trace element of surficial sediment in the South China Sea[J]. Acta Petrologica Sinica, 23(11):2963-2980.] Google Scholar
[22]	Rudnick R L,Gao S. Composition of the Continental Crust[C]. Oxford:the Oxford Press, Treatise On Geochemistry, Vol. 3, 2003. Google Scholar
[23]	Taylor S R,McLennan S M. The Continental Crust:Its composition and Evolution[M]. Blackwell, Oxford, 1985. Google Scholar
[24]	Holser W T. Evaluation of the application of rare-earth elements to paleoceanography[J]. Paleoceanography, Paleaoclimatology, Paleaoecology, 1997, 132:309-323. Google Scholar
[25]	Nessbitt H W, Markovics G, Price R C. Chemical processes affecting alkalis and alkaline earths during continental weathering[J]. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 1980, 6:887-898. Google Scholar
[26]	Nesbitt H W, Markovics G. Weathering of granodioritic crust, long-term storage of elements in weathering profiles, and petrogenesis of siliciclastic sediments[J]. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 1997, 61(8):1653-1670. Google Scholar
[27]	Crichton J G, Condie K C. Trace elements as source indicators in cratonic sediments:a case study from the early Proterozoic Libby Creek Group, southeastern Wyoming[J]. The Journal of Geology, 1993, 101:319-332. Google Scholar
[28]	Condie K C, Dengate J, Cullers R L. Behavior of rare earth elements in a paleoweathering profile on granodiorite in the Front Range, Colorado, USA[J]. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 1995, 59:279-294. Google Scholar
[29]	Sharma A, Rajamani V. Major element, REE and other trace element behavior in amphibolite weathering under semiarid conditions in Southern India[J]. Journal of Geology, 2000, 108:487-496. Google Scholar
[30]	McLennan S M, Taylor S R. Sedimentary rocks and crustal evolution:tectonic setting and secular trend[J]. Journal of Geology, 1991, 99:1-21. Google Scholar
[31]	McLennan S M, Hemming S, Mcdaniel D K, et al. Geochemical approaches to sedimentation, provenance and tectonics[C]//In Jonhanson M J et al eds.Processes controlling the composition of clastic sediments. Boulder:Geological Society of America Special Paper, 1993, 284:21-40. Google Scholar
[32]	鄢全树, 石学法, 王昆山, 等. 南海新生代碱性玄武岩主量、微量元素及Sr-Nd-Pb同位素研究[J]. 中国科学D辑:地球科学, 2008, 38(1):56-71. Google Scholar [YAN Quanshu, SHI Xuefa, WANG Kunshan, et al. Major element, trace element, and Sr, Nd and Pb iso-tope studies of Cenozoic basalts from the South China Sea[J]. Science in China (Series D), 2008, 38(1):56-71.] Google Scholar
[33]	Bhatia M R. Rare earth element geochemistry of Australian Paleozoic graywackes and mudrocks:Provenance and tectonic controls[J]. Sedimemtary Geology, 1985, 45:97-113. Google Scholar
[34]	Cullers R L. The geochemistry of shales, siltstones and sandstones of Pennsylvanian-Permian age, Colorado, USA:implications for provenance and metamorphic studies[J]. Lithos, 2000, 51:181-203. Google Scholar
[35]	Condie K C. Chemical composition and evolution of the upper continental crust:contrasting results from surface samples and shales[J]. Chemical Geology, 1993, 104:1-37. Google Scholar
[36]	刘志飞,Colin C, Trentesaux A, 等. 青藏高原东部和泥公河盆地晚第四纪风化剥蚀与东亚季风演化在南海中的记录[J]. 矿物岩石地球化学通报, 2005, 24(1):30-38. Google Scholar [LIU Zhifei, Colin C, Trentesaux A, et al. Late Quaternary weathering and erosion of the eastern Tibetan plateau and the Mekong basin and east Asian monsoon evolution recorded by the sediments from the South China Sea[J]. Bulletin of Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry, 2005, 24(1):30-38.] Google Scholar