Depositional chemistry of chert during late Paleozoic from western Guangxi and its implication for the tectonic evolution of the Youjiang Basin

Continual deep-water sediments from the late Early Devonian to the Late Permian extended in wide areas of western Guangxi.We analyzed the major,trace,and rare earth elements of the Upper Paleozoic cherts in Badu,western Guangxi.High non-terrigenous SiO2 contents(Sinon-ter/Sibulk(%)> 80%) and pure chert components(> 70%) indicate a large extent of silicification in the Upper Paleozoic cherts,except for the Upper Devonian-Lower Carboniferous Luzhai Formation cherts,which have lower non-terrigenous SiO2 contents(avg.71.8%) and pure chert components(40%-70%).The Al/(Al+Fe+Mn) ratios and Feter/Febulk(%) values of samples from the lowest horizon of the Pingen Formation are 0.05-0.26,13.1%-14.5%,respectively,indicating hydrothermal origins.All other samples show high Al/(Al+Fe+Mn) ratios(0.39-0.81) and high Feter/Febulk(%) values(23.1%-186.8%),indicating non-hydrothermal origins.The Pingen Formation and Liujiang Formation cherts show slightly-moderately negative Ce anomalies(0.71±0.07,0.81±0.08,respectively) and higher Y/Ho ratios(33.49±1.27,36.10±2.05,respectively) than PAAS.This suggests that these cherts were deposited in the open marine basin,rather than in the intracontinental rift basin as previously assumed.The Luzhai Formation cherts may be deposited near the seamount or seafloor plateaus with no negative Ce anomalies(1.09±0.07) and no significant Y-Ho fractionation(Y/Ho=28.60±1.25).The Nandan Formation and Sidazhai Formation cherts were deposited in the open-ocean basin with moderately negative Ce anomalies(0.67±0.08,0.73±0.11,respectively) and high Y/Ho ratios(36.01±1.00,32.00±2.25,respectively).On the basis of our studies about cherts,we conclude that the Youjiang Basin originated as part of the Paleo-Tethys that controlled the depositional environments of cherts during late Paleozoic.The rift of the Youjiang Basin had occurred at least since the Early-Middle Devonian.The basin had a trend of evolving into an open-ocean basin during the Early-Middle Permian.

Devonian-Carboniferous Pillow OIB-Type Basalts in the Youjiang Basin,SW China:Implications for the Eastern Extension of the Paleo-Tethys Branch Ocean

Late Paleozoic pillow basalts are well preserved in the Youjiang Basin of SW China.In this study,we conducted geochemical and Sr-Nd isotopic study on the Late Devonian and Late Carboniferous basalts in Napo area,Youjiang Basin.The analyzed samples comprise moderate SiO2,TiO2,Mg#,and REE contents,with slightly positive or negative Eu anomalies,similar to the chemical nature of OIB(Oceanic island basalt).All basalts show low(^(143)Nd/^(144)Nd)iand(^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr)ivalues,close to EMI-type(I-type Enriched Mantle)magma source.Late Carboniferous basalts display higher(^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr)i,Nb/Th,and lowerε_(Nd)(t),Zr/Nb values than those of the Late Devonian basalts,implying progressively decreased enrichment components in the magma source processes.Such evolution trend reflects a continuous lithospheric thinning event,supporting a progressive rifting setting of the Youjiang Basin along the southwestern margin of the Yangtze Block in Late Paleozoic.Combined with regional geological background,the Youjiang Basin is viewed as a continental rift basin related to the opening of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean in Late Devonian and became a passive continental margin basin in Carboniferous.The Paleo-Tethys branch ocean probably extended further to the southern Youjiang Basin,likely corresponding to the Song Ma suture zone.

Geochemistry of the Late Paleozoic cherts in the Youjiang Basin:Implications for the basin evolution

We analyzed the major and rare earth element compositions of siliceous deposits from the Upper Devonian Liujiang Formation,Lower Carboniferous Luzhai Formation,Lower-Middle Permian Sidazhai Formation and Tapi Formation,which are widely distributed as bedded cherts in the interplatform basinal successions of the Youjiang Basin.The Liujiang Formation and Luzhai Formation cherts generally have high Al/(Al+Fe+Mn) values(0.38-0.94) and are non-hydrothermal cherts.These cherts are generally characterized by moderately negative Ce anomalies and high Y/Ho values relatived to PAAS,indicating that the Youjiang Basin might have evolved into an open rift basin during the Late Devonian-Early Carboniferous.The Sidazhai Formation cherts from Ziyun generally have high Al/(Al+Fe+Mn) values(0.60-0.78),suggesting negligible contribution from a hydrothermal component.The Sidazhai Formation cherts from Hechi and the Tapi Formation cherts from Malipo generally have low Al/(Al+Fe+Mn) values(0.09-0.41),indicating an intense hydrothermal input.Relatived to the Sidazhai Formation cherts,the Tapi Formation cherts have higher Ce/Ce*values(0.68±0.19) and lower Y/Ho values(41.83±13.27),which may be affected by the terrigenous input from the Vietnam Block.The Sidazhai Formation cherts from Ziyun and Hechi exhibit negative Ce anomalies(0.43±0.12,0.33±0.17,respectively) with high Y/Ho values(57.44±16.20,46.02±4.27,respectively),resembling the geochemical characteristics of open-ocean basin cherts.These cherts were deposited on a passive continental margin adjacent to the Babu branch ocean,which may have contributed to upwelling.Detailed spatial studies on geochemical characteristics of the Late Paleozoic cherts can unravel the evolution of the Youjiang Basin.