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The Triassic tectonic evolution and affinity among the Yangtze Block, Qinling Orogenic Belt and Songpan-Ganzi Terrane remain subjects of ongoing scientific debate. In this context, the sedimentary rocks of Xujiahe Formation (second segment) (T3x2) represent an ideal case for addressing this issue. In this study, new stratigraphic, geochemical and detrital zircon analyses have been conducted on two sections of the T3x2. The stratigraphic assemblage and features suggests a braided delta as the depositional setting. Whole-rock geochemical results indicate that the sandstones from the T3x2 exhibit moderate palaeo-weathering and primarily originate from upper crustal felsic rocks, mostly S-type granites. The detrital zircons within these sandstones display distinctive age peaks at intervals of 200-300 Ma, 700-900 Ma, and 1800-2000 Ma, similar to those from the Qinling Orogenic Belt. Both the clastic particle composition and whole-rock geochemistry indicates that the T3x2 sections were deposited in a tectonic environment transitioning from a passive to an active continental margin, highlighted by a braided delta influenced by rivers flowing from the northeast to the southwest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Neoproterozoic granitic rocks of Mount Abu Kibash and Tulayah in the central Eastern Desert of Egypt are of geodynamic interest and provide us with important information about the evolution and growth of the northern part of the Arabian–Nubian Shield (ANS) continental crust. They are primarily composed of granodiorites and syenogranites based on new field, mineralogical, and geochemical analyses. The granodiorites are marked by an enrichment of LILEs such as Sr, K, Rb, Ba compared to HFSEs like Nb, Ta, Ti and show a higher concentration of LREEs relative to HREEs. This composition suggests a subduction-related setting and aligns with the characteristics of subducted I-type granites in the ANS. Chemistry of the analyzed primary amphiboles in the investigated granodiorites support a calc-alkaline nature, mixed source and subduction-related setting. The granodiorites represent an early magmatic phase in this setting, likely formed from a mix of mantle-derived mafic magmas and lower crust material, with subsequent fractional crystallization. On the other hand, syenogranites exhibit high SiO2 (72.02–74.02 wt%), total alkali (7.82–8.01 wt%), and Al2O3 (13.79–14.25 wt%) levels, suggesting their derivation from peraluminous (A/CNK > 1) parental magmas. Their REE-normalized patterns are flat with a pronounced negative Eu anomaly, typical of post-collisional A2-type granites worldwide. These rocks originated from the partial melting of a juvenile lower crustal source (tonalite) in a post-collisional setting, driven by lithospheric delamination that facilitated mantle upwelling and underplating to the lower crust. Interaction between the upwelled mantle and lower crust led to fertilization (enrichment with HFSE and alkalis) of the lithosphere before partial melting. Fractional crystallization coupled with less considerable crustal assimilation are the main magmatic processes during the evolution of these rocks. The transition from subduction to post-collisional setting was accompanied by crustal uplifting, thickening and extensional collapse of ANS continental crust that caused emplacement of large masses of A-type granites in the northern ANS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Upper Miocene–Pliocene Kampungbaru Formation crops out in the easternmost part of the Lower Kutai Basin, Indonesia. The sedimentological analysis of seven outcrops was carried out, and a total of twenty-five samples from these outcrops was analyzed for bulk geochemistry, organic petrography, and bulk and clay mineralogy to assess the effect of the climate and depositional environment on organic matter enrichment. The Kampungbaru Formation consists of interbedded sandstone, siltstone, claystone, and thick coal beds, which were classified into eleven lithofacies. Subsequently, seven facies associations were identified, namely the fluvial-dominated distributary channel, sheet-like sandstone, tide-influenced distributary channel, mouth bar, crevasse splay, delta plain, and delta front. The coal facies generally have a high amount of total organic carbon (TOC, 5.1–16.9; avg. 10.11 wt.%), and non-coal layers range from 0.03 to 4.22 wt.% (avg. 1.54 wt.%). The dominant maceral is vitrinite, while liptinite occurs only rarely in the samples. Organic matter is inferred to have originated from terrestrial plants growing in mangrove swamps. Identified clay minerals include varying proportions of kaolinite, illite, chlorite, and mixed layer illite/smectite (I/S). Kaolinite, which commonly constitutes up to 30% of the clay volume, indicates intensive chemical weathering during a warm and humid climate. In accordance with the Köppen climate classification, the paleoclimate during the deposition of the Kampungbaru Formation is classified as type Af, which is a tropical rainforest. Tropical climate was favorable for the growth of higher plants and deposition of organic matter under anoxic conditions and led to higher amounts of TOC in the Kampungbaru Formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Late Ordovician-Early Silurian period witnessed the Phanerozoic mass extinction, glacial events, and volcanic events. Paleoweathering indexes chemical index of alteration (CIA), chemical index of weathering (CIW), and plagioclase index of alteration (PIA) indicated that the source area weathering changed from weak to moderate to intense. CIA values in the upper Zhongbao formation ranged from 66.71% to 73.97%, indicating a drier and colder climate. Upward, the CIA values on the bottom of the Mayinggou formation returned to the high value quickly (from 73.86% to 81.31%), suggesting that the ice age ended, the climate became warmer and wetter, and the sea level rose. The Al2O3-(CaO*+Na2O)-K2O triangular plots, Hf-La/Th, and SiO2-Al2O3/TiO2 bivariate plots inferred that the source of the siltstones in the two formations is mostly from the felsic igneous rocks. The samples from the Zhongbao-Mayinggou formations have chondrite-normalized rare earth element (REE) patterns similar to that of the North Qilian volcanic arc rocks. Geochemical discrimination plots displayed that the sediments of the Zhongbao-Mayinggou formations came from the active continental margin setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin and micro-texture of ooids remain controversial. This study presents a review of microstructure of ooids and explains the origin of microstructures in Cambrian ooids in the North China Platform. Factors controlling the morphology and mineral composition of ooid are very complex. Ooids form by a combination of physical, chemical and biological processes, in various environments. Recent studies on modern Bahamian ooids and laboratory experiments with microbial cultures highlight the formation of ooids without detailed explanation of the role of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC). This review reinforces the biochemical hypothesis for the origin of ooids and proposes the sequence of microbial activities that involves the active and stationary stages in its formation. Microbes, particularly the filamentous fossils of calcified sheath of cyanobacteria, excrete extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that act as a template for the formation of ACC. The dark micrite bands, dominated by filamentous cyanobacteria within the cortex and the core of the Cambrian pelagic and benthic ooids of the North China Platform supports the biochemical origin of ooid formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upper Cretaceous oil shales accumulated in intracratonic sedimentary basins along the Central Eastern Desert. Comprehensive geochemical analyses have been applied on 3 Maastrichtian oil shale horizons from the Duwi and Dakhla formations (El‐Beida and El‐Nakheil mines). We provide significant clues for chemical weathering, sediment recycling, petrogenesis, and tectonic setting of oil shales' source material. The mineralogical composition of the studied oil shales is generally characterized by carbonates, phyllosilicates, quartz, fluorapatite, and sulphides. The geochemistry is characterized by high Ca, P, Ni, U, and Cr values compared to standard post‐Archean Australian shales (PAAS). Their chondrite‐normalized patterns are distinguished by LREE enrichment, HREE depletion, negative Eu anomaly, and typical shale‐like PAAS‐normalized REE patterns. Furthermore, the total REE content is positively correlated with Si, K, Na, Fe, Al, Ti, and Mn, indicating that the REE of the investigated oil shales originated from terrigenous sources. Diverse proxies (e.g., CIA, CPA, and PIA) and the A–CN–K ternary diagram suppose that the source rock succession of the oil shales experienced moderate to intensive chemical weathering. Various geochemical parameters suggest that the oil shales were predominately derived from intermediate, with a minor contribution from felsic, igneous source rocks without any remarkable recycling signals. The average values of (Gd/Yb)N (1.39), Eu/Eu* (0.76), Th/U (0.29), and discrimination diagrams reveal that the oil shales were derived from Neoproterozoic island arc parent rocks. The geochemical results for oil shale provenance are in accordance with the composition and the palaeotectonic history of the igneous rocks in the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]