The Quaternary was the main evaporite deposition period in the Qaidam Basin(QB), but the correlation between the evaporite deposition period and the glacial period is still unclear. In this study, the research objects...The Quaternary was the main evaporite deposition period in the Qaidam Basin(QB), but the correlation between the evaporite deposition period and the glacial period is still unclear. In this study, the research objects are primarily evaporite-bearing strata in a 461.58 m-long drill core in the QB. X-ray powder diffraction(XRD) and scanning electron microscopy(SEM) were applied to study the evaporite minerals, U-Th dating being applied to construct the ~(230)Th geochronological framework. Evaporite deposition from Marine Isotope Stage(MIS) 15 to MIS 4 in the borehole was reconstructed via mineralogical and geochronological data. The evaporite minerals are mainly halite(NaCl), mirabilite(Na_(2)SO_(4)·10H_(2)O), thenardite(Na_(2)SO_(4)) and gypsum(CaSO_(4)·2H_(2)O). A total of 9 effective ~(230)Th data points, ranging from 492.5 ± 43.0 ka to 62.0 ± 11.9 ka, were obtained. The depositional age of the earliest halite layer in the borehole is 592.5–563.0 ka. There were mirabilite deposits in the QB during the cold glacial environment of MIS 6. During MIS 4, the study area desiccated, with mirabilite and halite being deposited. This study suggests that mirabilite is an indicator mineral for the glacial environment in the QB, while halite deposition does not correspond well to glaciation.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41902190 and 42003044)the Geological Survey Project of China (Grant No. DD20221913)the Qinghai Geological Exploration Fund (Grant No. 2020021068kc035)。
文摘The Quaternary was the main evaporite deposition period in the Qaidam Basin(QB), but the correlation between the evaporite deposition period and the glacial period is still unclear. In this study, the research objects are primarily evaporite-bearing strata in a 461.58 m-long drill core in the QB. X-ray powder diffraction(XRD) and scanning electron microscopy(SEM) were applied to study the evaporite minerals, U-Th dating being applied to construct the ~(230)Th geochronological framework. Evaporite deposition from Marine Isotope Stage(MIS) 15 to MIS 4 in the borehole was reconstructed via mineralogical and geochronological data. The evaporite minerals are mainly halite(NaCl), mirabilite(Na_(2)SO_(4)·10H_(2)O), thenardite(Na_(2)SO_(4)) and gypsum(CaSO_(4)·2H_(2)O). A total of 9 effective ~(230)Th data points, ranging from 492.5 ± 43.0 ka to 62.0 ± 11.9 ka, were obtained. The depositional age of the earliest halite layer in the borehole is 592.5–563.0 ka. There were mirabilite deposits in the QB during the cold glacial environment of MIS 6. During MIS 4, the study area desiccated, with mirabilite and halite being deposited. This study suggests that mirabilite is an indicator mineral for the glacial environment in the QB, while halite deposition does not correspond well to glaciation.
