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Geochemical characteristics of dolomite weathering profiles and revelations to enrichment mechanism of trace elements in the Jiujialu Formation, central Guizhou Province TEXT SIZE: A A A
The Lower Carboniferous Jiujialu Formation is rich in Ti, Li, Sc, V, Ga, Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, Th and Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and has the potential of comprehensive utilization as an independent trace elements deposit or associated resources in the central Guizhou Province. Most of those share the same parent rocks with the Jiujialu Formation. The element enrichment degree was controlled by chemical composition and weathering degree of the parent rocks. Therefore, the weathering process of the precursor rock provides an important object to study the mechanism of trace element enrichment in the Jiujialu Formation. In this study, the Wudang and Nayong dolomite weathering profiles, which were parent rock of the Jiujialu Formation, were selected to study the elements migration and distribution characteristics during chemical weathering. Consequently, it is to reveal the enrichment mechanism of some trace elements, REEs, and dispersed elements in the Jiujialu Formation. This study gained the following understanding : 1) Characteristic of profile structure and Zr-Hf, Nb-Ta, Y-Ho bivariate-plots, combined with the similarity of rare earth elements distribution curves and Eu/Eu* ratios reveal that these two profiles were mainly derived from weathering of base/parent rocks; 2) During the processes of dolomite weathering, Si, Fe, Cr, As, Sb, Ti, Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, Th, and REEs showed chemical stability and result in enrichment, whereas Ca, Mg, Na, K, Sr, P, Mo, and Cd showed chemical activity thus lead to depleted; 3) REEs especially MREEs were leached out and enriched during leaching and accumulation stages, respectively, in the Nayong profile rather than the Wudang profile. The difference of ionic radius between REEs3+ and Ca2+ showed good correlation with REEs enrichment ratios, indicate that Ca-bearing minerals such as apatite was the most important control factors of REEs distribution during carbonate weathering processes in the Nayong profile; 4) Essential features of some elements were hided by homogenization effects such as mineral decomposition-formation, allochthonous materials addition, groundwater leaching etc. during carbonate rock weathering. The Nayong profile that located at - 170m underground, was less influenced by homogenization effects, some elements embodied its essential characteristics such as REEs mentioned above; 5) The parent rocks of the Jiujialu Formation were major materials of Ti, Li, Sc, V, Ga, Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, and Th. During weathering processes, these elements were preliminary enriched in accessory minerals, clay minerals, aluminum minerals, and apatite, then sedimentation together with weathering detritus forming the trace elements enrichment stratum. In addition, surface/groundwater supplies part of P, Be, Zn, Sb, Pb, Y and REEs sources in the Nayong profile, implies that the water addition effect was another important factor for REEs enriched in Jiujialu Formation. As a consequence, the sources of trace elements in Jiujialu Formation are complicated. During weathering and sedimentation, immobile elements remained in weathered detritus and be deposited in depression, whereas mobile elements (e. g. , REEs) were first dissolved in water and then can be uptake into sediments by secondary enrichment process to form trace elements enrichment strata.

Publication name

 ACTA PETROLOGICA SINICA Volume: 35 Issue: 11 Pages: 3385-3397 DOI: 10.18654/1000-0569/2019.11.08 Published: 2019

Author(s)

 Ling KunYue; Wen HanJie; Zhang ZhengWei; Zhu XiaoQing; Tang HaoShu

Corresponding author(s) 

 TANG Haoshu 
 tanghaoshu@163.com   
 Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Geochem, State Key Lab Ore Deposit Geochem, Guiyang 550081, Guizhou, Peoples R China.

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