Composite Stratigraphy of the Sailinhudong Group and Ore-bearing Micrite Mounds in the Bayan Obo Deposits,Inner Mongolia,China

Based on studies of sequence stratigraphy, event stratigraphy, biostratigraphy and lithostratigraphy, it is concluded that the Sailinhudong Group is a part of the Bayan Obo Group. Some trilobite fragments are first found in thin sections of the rock from the lower part of the Sailinhudong Group and some Ordovician acritarchs and chitinozoans are also found in this group. A formationa unit of carbonate seismites is first recognized in the upper part and a huge micrite mound is first identified at the top. Dolomite, the host rock of the super giant Bayan Obo Fe-Nb-REE deposits, is neither an igneous carbonatite nor a common bedded sedimentary carbonate, but a huge micrite mound. It has the same macroscopic characters as the micrite mounds at the top of the Sailinhudong Group, which suggests that they should be of the same horizon. According to the fossils, the Sailinhudong and Bayan Obo Groups should be of the Early Palaeozoic rather than the Middle Proterozoic. The new discovery and new idea will throw light on the explanation of the genesis of the supergiant Bayan Obo Fe-Nb-REE deposits.

Trace and Rare Earth Element Geochemistry of Micrite Mound Carbonates and Other Related REE Mineralized Carbonates from Bayan Obo Area in Inner Mongolia

Geochemical study on trace and rare earth element geochemistry was carried out for different carbonates including the very REE-rich ones in the main ore bodies, a carbonatite dyke and two micrite mounds from Heilaobao far away from the Bayan Obo ore deposit, and Xishan in west Beijing. The results show that both carbonatite dyke and REE mineralized carbonates (dolomite and marble) in the main ore bodies and outside ore bodies have similarities to each other, with very extreme positive anomaly of Ba, Th, Nb, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Pb, medium positive anomaly of Y, Ho, Tb, Er, Yb and negative anomaly of Sc, Ti and Cu. The REE concentration in the mineralized carbonates changes greatly, the total REE content changes from 262×10^(-6) in both east and west ore deposits to 104562 ×10^(-6) (10.46%), which is relatively lower than those samples of carbonatite dyke, whose REE contents vary greatly, from 1% up to 20 % of mass fraction. Light REE in the carbonatites are enriched and highly fractionated relative to heavy REE and there is no Eu anomaly. The REE distribution patterns of both mineralized carbonate and carbonatite dyke are of some similarities. However, the sedimentary carbonate micrite of Salinhudong Group in Heilaobao far outside the ore bodies and the pure carbonates from Xishan in Beijing, central part of North China plate, have the similarities in REE distributions with much lower REE contents, which are significantly different from those of carbonatite dyke and REE mineralized carbonate. In Bayan Obo district, both carbonates in the ore deposit and micrite mound outside the ore deposit underwent widespread metasomatism by fluids that resulted in formation of the superlager Fe-Nb-REE mineralization. It appears that the carbonates represent the evolution products of different geological stages.

Effects of micrite microtextures on the elastic and petrophysical properties of carbonate reservoirs

Apparent differences in sedimentation and diagenesis exist between carbonate reservoirs in different areas and affect their petrophysical and elastic properties.To elucidate the relevant mechanism,we study and analyze the characteristics of rock microstructure and elastic properties of carbonates and their variation regularity using 89 carbonate samples from the different areas The results show that the overall variation regularities of the physical and elastic properties of the carbonate rocks are controlled by the microtextures of the microcrystalline calcite,whereas the traditional classification of rock-and pore-structures is no longer applicable.The micrite microtextures can be divided,with respect to their morphological features,into porous micrite,compact micrite,and tight micrite.As the micrites evolves from the first to the last type,crystal boundaries are observed with increasingly close coalescence,the micritic intercrystalline porosity and pore-throat radius gradually decrease;meanwhile,the rigidity of the calcite microcrystalline particle boundary and elastic homogeneity are enhanced.As a result,the seismic elastic characteristics,such as permeability and velocity of samples,show a general trend of decreasing with the increase of porosity.For low-porosity rock samples(φ<5%)dominated by tight micrite,the micritic pores have limited contributions to porosity and permeability and the micrite elastic properties are similar to those of the rock matrix.In such cases,the macroscopic physical and elastic properties are more susceptible to the formation of cracks and dissolution pores,but these features are controlled by the pore structure.The pore aspect ratio can be used as a good indication of pore types.The bulk modulus aspect ratio for dissolution pores is greater than 0.2,whereas that of the intergranular pores ranges from 0.1 to 0.2.The porous and compact micrites are observed to have a bulk modulus aspect ratio less than 0.1,whereas the ratio of the tight micrite approaches 0.2。

Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation in a Middle Triassic Microbial Mat Deposit from Southwestern China:New Implications for the Formational Process of Micrite

Lime mud(i.e.,micrite)is a major component of carbonate deposits.Various mechanisms(biotic versus abiotic)have been proposed for the formation of lime mud in Earth’s history.However,the detailed role that microbes play in the nucleation and subsequent precipitation of micrites remains to be resolved.Herein we undertook a detailed geobiological characterization of laminated lime mudstone from the Middle Triassic Guanling Formation in Yunnan Province,southwestern China.Morphological features,together with previous geobiological investigations,suggest that the laminated lime mudstones represent the former presence of microbial mats.These lime mudstones consist mainly of calcite,dolomite and quartz,with clay minerals and pyrites as subordinate components.In particular,micro-analysis shows copious nano-globules(65–878 nm)and capsule-shaped nano-rods in laminations.These low-Mg calcite nano-globule aggregates are closely associated with mucilaginous biofilms resembling extracellular polymeric substances(EPS).Nano-sized globules coalesce to form semi-euhedral micrite crystals.We suggest that a decaying hydrolytic destruction of the EPS by microbial communities within microbial mat leads to the precipitation of the nano-globules by enhancing alkalinity in local micro-environment.As an intermediate,these nano-globules further aggregate to form micrite crystals possibly through a dissolution-reprecipitation process.

Seismic Sequence in Carbonate Rocks By Vibrational Liquefaction

On the basis of the records of strong seismic events taking place in soft carbonate sediments, a new seismic sequence system of vibrational liquefaction is established, which consists of a series of units, such as escaped structure of micrite veins and liquefied deformation formed in the period of seismic liquefaction, land subsidence structure after liquefaction, tsunamic hummocky and turbidite produced by seismic events, This sequence is a generalization and summation of field observation in vast areas, which shows the whole process of a strong seismic event and provides an unified theoretical explanation. The pattern of the seismic sequence by vibrational liquefaction provides one of correlation standards for geologists in the field to discriminate events in carbonate sequences. Based on the pattern of seismic sequence, the authors first advance a new conception of the Palaeo-Tanlu (Tancheng-Lujiang) Zone and discuss primarily its geological significations.

Calcified Biofilms from Cambrian Oolitic Limestones in China

Calcified biofiims are preserved as thin micritic coatings in the Cambrian oolitic limestone of two sections in North and South China. Standard petrographic examination revealed that the biofilms were developed during the early diagenetic stage immediately after the freshly deposited ooids, proceeding in the continuous sequence of depositional processes. The biofilm outlines are highly irregular, with steep sides, tower-like structures and overhanging projections; the internal fabric of the biofilms is composed of roughly laminated micrite aggregates with channel-like structures. Biofilms exhibit a strong fluorescent reaction. Detailed SEM examination suggests that the biofilms are biotically dominated by cyanobacteria. Our study demonstrates that microbial colonies, such as biofilms, can develop on ooid cortices and influence the formation and microstructures of those ooids.

Heterogeneous Mg isotopic composition of the early Carboniferous limestone: implications for carbonate as a seawater archive

Carbonate precipitation and hydrothermal reaction are the two major processes that remove Mg from seawater.Mg isotopes are significantly(up to 5%)fractionated during carbonate precipitation by preferential incorporation of ^(24)Mg,while hydrothermal reactions are associated with negligible Mg isotope fractionation by preferential sequestration of^( 26)Mg.Thus,the marine Mg cycle could be reflected by seawater Mg isotopic composition(δ^(26)Mg_(sw)),which might be recorded in marine carbonate.However,carbonates are both texturally and compositionally heterogeneous,and it is unclear which carbonate component is the most reliable for reconstructing δ^(26)Mg_(sw).In this study,we measured Mg isotopic compositions of limestone samples collected from the early Carboniferous Huangjin Formation in South China.Based on petrographic studies,four carbonate components were recognized:micrite,marine cement,brachiopod shell,and mixture.The four components had distinct δ^(26)Mg:(1)micrite samples ranged from -2.86% to -2.97%;(2)pure marine cements varied from -3.40% to -3.54%,while impure cement samples containing small amount of Rugosa coral skeletons showed a wider range(-3.27% to-3.75%);(3)values for the mixture component were-3.17% and -3.49%;and (4)brachiopod shells ranged from -2.20% to -3.07%,with the thickened hinge area enriched in ^( 24)Mg.Due to having multiple carbonate sources,neither the micrite nor the mixture component could be used to reconstruct δ^(26)Mg_(sw).In addition,the marine cement was homogenous in Mg isotopes,but lacking the fractionation by inorganic carbonate precipitation that is prerequisite for the accurate determination of δ^(26)Mg_(sw).Furthermore,brachiopod shells had heterogeneous C and Mg isotopes,suggesting a significant vital effect during growth.Overall,the heterogeneous δ^(26)Mg of the Huangjin limestone makes it difficult to reconstruct δ^(26)Mg_(sw)using bulk carbonate/calcareous sediments.Finally,δ^(26)Mg_(sw)was only slightly affected by the faunal composition of carbonate-secreting organisms,even though biogenic carbonate accounts for more than 90% of marine carbonate production in Phanerozoic oceans and there is a wide range(0.2%–4.8%)of fractionation during biogenic carbonate formation.

Reservoir Characterization and Pore Type Systems of Carbonate Low Resistivity Pay in Persian Gulf

The main focus of study is to characterize lower and upper cretaceous carbonate deposits with Low Resistivity Pay, in Persian Gulf. Four oil reservoirs in the Cretaceous including the Zubair, Buwaib, Shuaiba and Khatiyah Formations of Southern fields have been analyzed. Here is a look at that to determine main factors on decreasing resistivity in pay zone. In some intervals resistivity responses reach less than 6 to 1 ohm&#183;m. Significant hydrocarbon accumulations are “hidden” in low resistivity Pay zone, (LRPZ). LRPZ reservoirs have been found in some formations in Persian Gulf. Causes of LRPZ reservoirs on the basis of experimental analysis include clay-coated grains, carbonate with interstitial dispersed clay. On the other side Smectite and Kaolinite of main clays types have high CEC and greater impact on lowering resistivity. Micritization and Pyritization of digenetic process have noticeable impact on LRPZ. It is mentioned that L&#248;n&#248;y method applied to address pore throat sizes which contain Inter crystalline porosity, Chalky Limestone, Mudstone micro porosity. Pore systems are classified at class 2 and 3 Lucia and pore size varies from 0.5 to 4 micron. NMR Core and Log results show different pore size distribution. NMR core and MRIL results explain that decreasing of resistivity in pay zone is related to texture and grain size variation not being existence of moved water. Irreducible water estimate for this reservoir was between 30% and 50%. T2 cut off estimates, for defining irreducible water saturation, 115 ms.

Analysis and Characterization of Pore System and Grain Sizes of Carbonate Rocks from Southern Lebanon

Carbonate rocks are common in many parts of the world, including the Eastern Mediterranean, where they host significant groundwater supplies and are widely used as building and ornamental stones. The porosity of carbonate rocks plays a critical role in fluid storage and retrieval. The pore structure connectivity, in particular, controls many properties of geological formations, as well as the relationships between the properties of individual minerals and the bulk properties of the rock. To study the relationships between porosity, rock properties, pore structure, pore size, and their impact on reservoir characteristics, 46 carbonate rock samples were collected from four stratigraphic sections exposed near Sidon, South Lebanon. The studied carbonate rocks are related to marine deposits of different ages(e.g., Upper Cretaceous, Eocene, and Upper Miocene). In order to understand the pore connectivity, the MICP(mercury injection capillary pressure) technique was conducted on ten representative samples. Results from the SEM analysis indicate the dominance of very fine and fine pore sizes, with various categories ranging in diameter from 0.1 to10 μm. The MICP data revealed that the pore throat radii vary widely from 0.001 to 1.4 μm, and that all samples are dominated by micropore throats. The grain size analysis indicated that the studied rocks have significant amounts of silt-and clay-size grains with respect to the coarser ‘sand-size’ particles, suggesting a high proportion of microporosity. Obtained results, such as the poorly-sorted nature of grains, high microporosity, and the high percentage of micropore throats, justify the observed low mean hydraulic radius, the high entry pressure, and the very low permeability of the studied samples. These results suggest that the carbonate rocks near Sidon(south of Lebanon) are possibly classified as non-reservoir facies.

Formation Mechanism of Beach Rocks and Its Controlling Factors in Coral Reef Area, Qilian Islets and Cays,Xisha Islands, China

Beach rock,which forms at the intertidal zone,is a natural barrier to protect beach and island from wave erosion. The formation mechanism of beach rocks is significant in the study of surface carbonate diagenesis and protection of island. Beach rocks in Qilian Islets and Cays were formed about 500–700 a BP,neither its composition nor sedimentary structure experienced intense post-reformation.Beach rocks in Qilian Islets and Cays are mainly composed of reef-building skeletal fragments and bioclasts without terrigenous sediments. This study focused on the types and morphologies of cements in beach rocks of Qilian Islets and Cays,and its cementation mechanisms and influencing factors. Biological activities,such as micritization caused by microbial activities and algae binding action,play an important role in the initial stage of bioclast transformation and promote the subsequent early marine and early meteoric cementation. Acicular aragonite induced by early marine cementation is well developed in beach rocks,especially in those samples from Medium Islet. Early meteoric cementation is not common as marine cementation,generally presenting granular and meniscus cements. The main factors affecting the formation and development of beach rocks in Qilian Islets and Cays include sediment source,hydrodynamic condition,climate,sea level change and anthropogenic impacts.