New insights on the age of the Mengyejing Formation in the Simao Basin, SE Tethyan domain and its geological implications

Yan, Maodu; Zhang, Dawen; Fang, Xiaomin; Zhang, Weilin; Song, Chunhui; Liu, Chenglin; Zan, Jinbo; Shen, Miaomiao

doi:10.1007/s11430-020-9689-3

Cited by 12 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 83 publications

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“…(b) Late Cretaceous (Aptian–Turonian). (c,d) Schematic regional paleogeography map during the Early and Late Cretaceous (adapted with permission from ref ( 11 ). JSR, Jinsha River; LCR, Lancang River; LMSTB, Longmenshan thrust belt; PRR, Paleo-Red River; PMK, Paleo-Mekong River; SMS, Song Ma suture; BNS, Bangong-Nujiang suture; JSS, Jinshajiang suture; LSS, Longmu Co-Shuanghu suture.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Simao Basin is located in the southeast of the Tethys tectonic domain, which is the important salt and potash salt basin in southwest China. , The Mengyejing potash salt deposit in the Simao Basin at present is the only known pre-Quaternary solid potash deposit in China. Previous studies have been carried out on sedimentary stratigraphy, petrography, salt sedimentary geochemistry, , isotopic characteristics, − salt structure, metallogenic era, ,− and mineralogical characteristics , and through relevant research result in understanding of the genesis of the salt deposits in the basin. However, the metallogenic model of the Mengyejing potash deposit has been a subject of debate and controversy: there are viewpoints such as the “marine incursion continental primary sedimentary potash deposit” ,, this viewpoint suggested that the potash deposits in the Simao Basin were formed by marine incursion as sources of potash under the continental environment and evaporation of salt under the arid and hot climates; “two-story potash forming model” ,, this viewpoint suggested that the genesis of the Mengyejing potash deposit is deep solid salts diapirs triggered by tectonic activities for forming a potash mine at a shallower depth; “deep source and shallow mineralization”this viewpoint suggested that sources of the deposit are from a deep marine stratum and the metallogenic epoch of the deposit is during the clastic depositional stage of the Mengyejing Formation (MYJ Fm.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Genetic Model of Mud-Clast Conglomerates in Salt Rocks and Their Significance for Salt Mineralization in Mohei Area, Simao Basin, China: A Case Study of Well L-2

et al. 2022

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The Simao Basin is one of the most important Mesozoic salt basins in China, and the salt rocks generally contain mud-clast conglomerates. The characteristics of mud-clast conglomerates can provide effective information indicating the evolution process of the salt deposits. A combined analysis of trace elements and clay minerals was performed to characterize the genetic model of mud-clast conglomerates in the salt rocks. The results show that the sedimentary materials are felsic rocks from the Upper Crust. Ternary plot diagrams show that the tectonic settings are between the continental margin and the continental island arc. The clay minerals in the samples mainly contain illite and illite–smectite mixed layers. A dry and hot climate prevailed during the deposition of the Mengyejing Formation, and the warm-humid climate that also occurred is interspersed in some periods. Evaporation makes the water bodies shallower, and the concentrated brine starts to precipitate salt under the arid and hot climate conditions. Redox proxies indicate that most of the samples were deposited in relatively oxic conditions. The Sr/Ba ratios (average of 0.5) and paleosalinity (average of ∼35‰) during the depositional period indicate an increase in terrigenous freshwater input and carry of clasts into the evaporation basin. Furthermore, the freshwater supply enhances the hydrodynamics; as a result, the detritus that deposited in the early stage is broken into mud-clast conglomerates and co-deposited with the salt rocks. The results provide a geochemical basis for further study of mud-clast conglomerates in the Simao Basin and supply recommendations for the origin of salt deposits in similar basins around the world.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic Model of Mud-Clast Conglomerates in Salt Rocks and Their Significance for Salt Mineralization in Mohei Area, Simao Basin, China: A Case Study of Well L-2

et al. 2022

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“…Although some studies inferred that paleoseawater likely originated from the northwest (e.g., the proto-Paratethys Sea; Wang et al 49 ), this recharge model cannot explain the observation that late Cretaceous marine deposits were absent between the Qiangtang and the Simao-Khorat Basins 47 . Rather, the pronounced southward thickening trends of the evaporite marker intervals 50 , together with the terrestrial palaeogeographic reconstruction of East Asia spanning the late Cretaceous-early Palaeogene transition (e.g., Poblete et al 51 ) likely argue for a transgression of the Neo-Tethyan Ocean from the south or southwest (e.g., refs. 48,50 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Rather, the pronounced southward thickening trends of the evaporite marker intervals 50 , together with the terrestrial palaeogeographic reconstruction of East Asia spanning the late Cretaceous-early Palaeogene transition (e.g., Poblete et al 51 ) likely argue for a transgression of the Neo-Tethyan Ocean from the south or southwest (e.g., refs. 48,50 ). Similar backwater effects extending hundred of kilometres inland can also be observed in the lower reaches of modern continentalscale river systems (e.g., Mississippi and Amazon rivers), where saltwater intrusions occur frequently 52 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Existence of a continental-scale river system in eastern Tibet during the late Cretaceous–early Palaeogene

et al. 2021

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The establishment of continental-scale drainage systems on Earth is largely controlled by topography related to plate boundary deformation and buoyant mantle. Drainage patterns of the great rivers in Asia are thought to be highly dynamic during the Cenozoic collision of India and Eurasia, but the drainage pattern and landscape evolution prior to the development of high topography in eastern Tibet remain largely unknown. Here we report the results of petro-stratigraphy, heavy-mineral analysis, and detrital zircon U-Pb dating from late Cretaceous–early Palaeogene sedimentary basin strata along the present-day eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. Similarities in the provenance signatures among basins indicate that a continental-scale fluvial system once drained southward into the Neo-Tethyan Ocean. These results challenge existing models of drainage networks that flowed toward the East Asian marginal seas and require revisions to inference of palaeo-topography during the Late Cretaceous. The presence of a continent-scale river may have provided a stable long-term base level which, in turn, facilitated the development of an extensive low-relief landscape that is preserved atop interfluves above the deeply incised canyons of eastern Tibet.

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“…(2017) merged the Yunlong and Guolang formations together as the Mengyejing Formation and assigned a Paleocene to early Eocene age to it (Figure 8c). However, a recent magnetostratigraphic study in the southern part of the Simao Basin (see Figure 2 for location) suggested that the Mengyejing Formation is Late Cretaceous (∼112–63 Ma) (Yan et al., 2021).…”

Section: Do Detrital Zircon U‐pb Data From the Jianchuan Basin Record...mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Critical Appraisal of the Sensitivity of Detrital Zircon U–Pb Provenance Data to Constrain Drainage Network Evolution in Southeast Tibet

Li,

Najman,

Vermeesch

et al. 2024

JGR Earth Surface

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Provenance tools, particularly detrital zircon U–Pb analysis, have been widely employed to test drainage network evolution in southeast Tibet and its linkage with the growth of the Tibetan Plateau. Numerous provenance studies have been conducted on the sediments in the paleo‐Yangtze and paleo‐Red River drainage basins. Nevertheless, it is still hotly debated as to whether a “Mississippi” (dendritic) pattern Greater paleo‐Red River, originating from southeast Tibet and draining to the South China Sea, existed in the early Cenozoic, and was subsequently captured by the paleo‐lower Yangtze due to uplift of southeastern Tibet. In this study, in addition to presenting new data from the Gonjo and Jianchuan basins along which the Greater paleo‐Red River is proposed to have flowed, we compiled all the published detrital zircon U–Pb data from the paleo‐upper Yangtze and paleo‐Red River drainage basins from Triassic and younger rocks. Our large database of detrital zircon U–Pb analyses shows that the different terranes in the paleo‐upper Yangtze and paleo‐Red River drainage basins have similar zircon U–Pb signatures since the Late Triassic closure of the Paleo‐Tethys Ocean. Therefore, most of the sediments in the Cenozoic sedimentary basins in southeast Tibet could have been either deposited by long‐distance transport in large rivers from southeast Tibet or recycled from local bedrock. Given the potential importance of sedimentary recycling that we have demonstrated, this poses challenges to the use of detrital zircon U–Pb analyses to determine paleodrainage in this region. We therefore further explored the previously relatively limited use of Sr–Nd isotopes on mudstones and detrital mica 40Ar/39Ar ages, with new analyses from the Gonjo and Jianchuan Basins, to determine if these techniques were better suited to reconstruct paleodrainage evolution. Whilst these techniques do show some promise, more analyses and strategic sampling are required to obtain a full understanding of the extent of their potential utility. Overall, our integrated provenance study indicates that the available data are not sufficiently conclusive to support or refute the Greater paleo‐Red River capture model.

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New insights on the age of the Mengyejing Formation in the Simao Basin, SE Tethyan domain and its geological implications

Cited by 12 publications

References 83 publications

Genetic Model of Mud-Clast Conglomerates in Salt Rocks and Their Significance for Salt Mineralization in Mohei Area, Simao Basin, China: A Case Study of Well L-2

Genetic Model of Mud-Clast Conglomerates in Salt Rocks and Their Significance for Salt Mineralization in Mohei Area, Simao Basin, China: A Case Study of Well L-2

Existence of a continental-scale river system in eastern Tibet during the late Cretaceous–early Palaeogene

A Critical Appraisal of the Sensitivity of Detrital Zircon U–Pb Provenance Data to Constrain Drainage Network Evolution in Southeast Tibet

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