Heavy mineral assemblages and migration paths in the surface sediments of the northern East China Sea shelf: Tracer responses to bottom water masses

doi:10.13745/j.esf.sf.2021.9.17

Abstract

Abstract:

Based on the laboratory measurements of mud temperature, particle size and heavy mineral composition in surface sediments of the northern East China Sea, this paper examines the spatial distribution characteristics and information records of sedimentary heavy minerals carried by the bottom water masses since the sea level rise. The results show that migration paths for dominant mineral species are closely related to the regional circulation system and can be used to trace the material transport directions. Based on the characterization of migration paths for dominant heavy mineral species, such as transparent minerals (ordinary amphibole, epidote, stable minerals), metal minerals (opaque minerals), flake minerals and authigenic minerals, the study area is preliminarily divided into five types of mineral provinces: cold vortex (I), Yellow Sea coastal current and cross-shelf transport current in the East China Sea (ECSC) (II), Yangtze diluted water (III), warm current (IV) and composite (V) mineral provinces. Province I is significantly affected by the cold eddy southwest of Cheju Island, and its high authigenic pyrite content indicates a strong reducing sedimentary environment. Province Ⅱ is the main channel for the southward material transport from the old Yellow River Delta by the Yellow Sea coastal current and ECSC, and epidote minerals, metal minerals and platy minerals are the characteristic minerals indicating the path. Province III is an important channel for the eastward diffusion of the Yangtze diluted water, and common amphibole, platy mineral and garnet are the characteristic tracer minerals. Province IV is impacted by the “water barrier” from the mixing of the Taiwan and Tsushima Warm Currents with the continental shelf water masses, where its western part receives the provenance supply and forms the dominant low-value minerals and relatively high-value biogenic detrital, while its eastern part, without provenance supply, produces dominant high-value minerals from the exposed transgressive deposition. And province V is jointly affected by the seasonal variation and differential intensity of regional circulation, showing no significant mineralogical differences compared to neighboring regions in terms of heavy mineral assemblages and dominant mineral contents. Studying the material transport and accumulation processes in the northern East China Sea from the perspective of mineral migration path can help to further understand the significance of dominant mineral tracing and its response mechanism to the dynamic environment of the regional circulation system.

Key words: northern East China Sea shelf, heavy-mineral, dominant mineral species, migration path, mineral province

CLC Number:

LIU Yong, LI Guangxue. Heavy mineral assemblages and migration paths in the surface sediments of the northern East China Sea shelf: Tracer responses to bottom water masses[J]. Earth Science Frontiers, 2022, 29(5): 88-101.

Figures/Tables 7

References 59

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研究对象	不同频数情况下所含的重矿物
研究对象	丰富(>90%)	常见(50%~90%)	少量(10%~<50%)	稀少(<10%)
重矿物	赤铁矿、钛铁矿、角闪石、绿帘石、石榴石、榍石、阳起石、透闪石	磁铁矿、褐铁矿、褐帘石、电气石、磷灰石、锆石、十字石、云母	绿泥石、直闪石、兰闪石、黄铁矿、蓝晶石、金红石、黝帘石	硅线石、锐钛矿、符山石、斜黝帘石、菱铁矿、重晶石、刚玉、碳硅石

研究对象	不同频数情况下所含的重矿物
研究对象	丰富(>90%)	常见(50%~90%)	少量(10%~<50%)	稀少(<10%)
重矿物	赤铁矿、钛铁矿、角闪石、绿帘石、石榴石、榍石、阳起石、透闪石	磁铁矿、褐铁矿、褐帘石、电气石、磷灰石、锆石、十字石、云母	绿泥石、直闪石、兰闪石、黄铁矿、蓝晶石、金红石、黝帘石	硅线石、锐钛矿、符山石、斜黝帘石、菱铁矿、重晶石、刚玉、碳硅石

对比项	各分区对比项的值
对比项	长江干道 (铜陵)^[44]	长江口^[45]	长江三角洲^[46]	南黄海潮流沙脊^[47]	老黄河三角洲^[48]	Ⅰ区	Ⅱ区	Ⅲ区	Ⅳ区	Ⅴ₁亚区	Ⅴ₂亚区
样品数	1	1	128	37	44	15	23	19	26	6	6
角闪石颗粒含量/%	55.2	62.4	33.3	35.8	46.8	17.5	46.5	51.4	27.1	42.3	37.1
帘石类颗粒含量/%	14.9	13.8	27.3	32.7	16.2	11.2	33.9	22.6	23.2	28.9	20.6
金属矿物颗粒含量/%	18.9	7.9	9.1	9.3	5.7	2.11	10.2	7.4	6.1	9.5	6.8
稳定矿物颗粒含量/%	5.6	3.0	1.5	3.8	3.8	2.59	6.3	4.1	2.8	4.2	3.7
片状矿物颗粒含量/%	1.8	7.7	10.9	6.3	5.5	12.2	1.6	2.1	3.4	1.8	2.9

对比项	各分区对比项的值
对比项	长江干道 (铜陵)^[44]	长江口^[45]	长江三角洲^[46]	南黄海潮流沙脊^[47]	老黄河三角洲^[48]	Ⅰ区	Ⅱ区	Ⅲ区	Ⅳ区	Ⅴ₁亚区	Ⅴ₂亚区
样品数	1	1	128	37	44	15	23	19	26	6	6
角闪石颗粒含量/%	55.2	62.4	33.3	35.8	46.8	17.5	46.5	51.4	27.1	42.3	37.1
帘石类颗粒含量/%	14.9	13.8	27.3	32.7	16.2	11.2	33.9	22.6	23.2	28.9	20.6
金属矿物颗粒含量/%	18.9	7.9	9.1	9.3	5.7	2.11	10.2	7.4	6.1	9.5	6.8
稳定矿物颗粒含量/%	5.6	3.0	1.5	3.8	3.8	2.59	6.3	4.1	2.8	4.2	3.7
片状矿物颗粒含量/%	1.8	7.7	10.9	6.3	5.5	12.2	1.6	2.1	3.4	1.8	2.9