Tracking depositional and geochemical variations in the Cambrian North China Platform: Insights from sedimentology, geochemistry, and C-O isotopic records

The Cambrian carbonate sequence in North China is of significant global and regional scientific importance due to its continuous and thick exposure and the data on the major environmental changes and biological events of the early Phanerozoic, which can be gleaned from it. While the well-exposed Cambrian outcrops have been utilized to unravel the processes governing these events, few studies have focused on the outcrops' spatio-temporal depositional patterns and geochemical variations. Therefore, our study address, these issues by integrating fieldwork with petrographic and geochemical analyses. In the North China Platform (NCP), the Cambrian carbonate sequence is predominantly composed of six third-order depositional sequences (similar to 370-400 m thick) that can be divided into nine microfades, representing three primary microfades associations, namely tidal flat, lagoon, and shoal. In contrast to the standard carbonate sequence stratigraphy model and many other examples of Cambrian platforms, the deposition of oolitic grainstones in the NCP are overlain by the deep-water calcareous mudstone and shale during a period of slow fall of sea-levels. Such a particular style shows a similar trend to the Schlager model of a type III sequence boundary that formed between a highstand systems tract (HST) and a transgressive system tract (TST). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations show an abundance of microbial fossils, a nanosphere, and remnants of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) inside the dark micrite of normal regressive deposits (oolitic grainstone), suggesting the significant role of microbial activity in the formation of ooids. The delta O-18 isotopic values range from -4.15 to -11.75 parts per thousand VPDB, portraying pervasive diagenetic alterations with a variable degree of diagenesis at different localities, and both marine- and burial-related diagenesis. In contrast the delta C-13 VPDB values have a very narrow range, from -2 to +2 parts per thousand VPDB, suggesting little to no influence of meteoric diagenesis. At the same time, the slight depletion of delta C-13 isotope values may reflect the role of microbial processes during the genesis of ooids. This study highlights the importance of microbial activity and marine-related diagenetic overprints during the formation of carbonate fades in the Cambrian Period and provides evidence that carbon isotopic excursions observed during different major environmental and biological events in the NCP are related to primary signals and not altered by intensive meteoric diagenesis. (C) 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The Cambrian carbonate sequence in North China is globally and regionally significant due to its continuous and thick exposure, providing valuable data on environmental changes and biological events. However, studies on the depositional patterns and geochemical variations of these outcrops are limited. This study integrates fieldwork with petrographic and geochemical analyses to address these issues.