A Lithological and Geochemical Description of Lower Silurian Graptolite Shales (Yangtze Platform, People’s Republic of China)

The major lithological rock types that compose the highest-carbon part of the lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation section in the Sichuan province of the People’s Republic of China have been identified and characterized. The analyzed distribution of rare and trace elements in graptolite shales has made it possible to propose the redox conditions for high-carbon sedimentation.