Changes of oceanic environment before and after the Paleoproterozoic Great Oxidation Event(GOE): Evidence from petrography and geochemistry of banded iron formation(BIF)from the North China Craton
Zhang Lian-Chan1,2, Lan Cai-Yun3, Wang Chang-Le1,2, Peng Zi-Dong1,2, Tong Xiao-Xue1,2, Li Wen-Jun1,2, Dong Zhi-Guo1,2
1 Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources,Institute of Geology and Geophysics,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100029,China; 2 University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100049,China; 3 Department of Geology,Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics,Northwest University,Xi'an 710069,China
Abstract：Banded iron formation(BIF)belongs to sedimentary rocks formed in Precambrian marine,which can directly reflect the redox state of the ancient oceans. Mineral composition and geochemistry of BIF can reveal the relative changes of oxygen contents of ancient atmosphere-ocean. The Neoarchean and Paleoproterozoic BIFs widely distributed in the North China Craton(NCC),are the ideal research objects for understanding the changes of the ancient ocean redox environment before and after the Paleoproterozoic Great Oxidation Event(GOE). Our previous studies indicated that the sedimentary facies of the Neoarchean BIF in the NCC are mainly magnetite-type oxide and silicate,with minor carbonate. The sedimentary facies of the Paleoproterozoic BIF are hematite- and magnetite-type oxide,silicate and carbonate,of which the hematite-oxide facies is unique to the Paleoproterozoic BIF. The above mineralogical features suggest that the redox conditions of the Neoarchean and Paleoproterozoic seawater are different. The rare earth element composition of the Neoarchean BIF in the NCC lacks a strong negative Ce anomaly,reflecting that the oxygen content of contemporary seawater is very low and the marine is anoxic. However,a small amount of BIFs in the NCC also present the negative Ce anomalies and a wide range of Th/U ratios,indicating that the local water of the Neoarchean ocean had relatively high oxygen content and was at a weak oxidation state. Compared with the Neoarchean BIFs,the Paleoproterozoic BIFs present a wide range of Ce anomalies(i.e.,no Ce anomalies,positive Ce anomalies and negative Ce anomalies). The hematite-bearing BIF has an obvious negative Ce anomalies,implying that the oxygen content and redox state of Paleoproterozoic seawater changed significantly. Combined with the ratios of Ni/Co,V/(V+Ni)and Th/U of the BIFs in the NCC,the Paleoproterozoic oceans exhibited a suboxidation to oxidation environment. Besides,Neoarchean BIF is strongly enriched in heavy iron isotopes and the non-mass fractionation of S isotope is obvious,whereas the Paleoproterozoic BIF is relatively enriched in light iron isotopes and the non-mass fractionation of S isotope is not obvious. It is summarized that the Neoarchean marine is anoxic,but the oxygen‘oasis' may exist locally,implying that photosynthetic oxygen production already existed in the Late Neoarchean. The ancient ocean presented a layered characteristics during and after the GOE,indicating that the shallow water was generally oxidized and the deep water was reduced.
Zhang Lian-Chan,Lan Cai-Yun,Wang Chang-Le et al. Changes of oceanic environment before and after the Paleoproterozoic Great Oxidation Event(GOE): Evidence from petrography and geochemistry of banded iron formation(BIF)from the North China Craton[J]. JOPC, 2020, 22(5): 827-840.
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