Organic accumulation in lacustrine rift basin: constraints from mineralogical and multiple geochemical proxies

The Lunpola Basin in the central Tibet is the highest petroliferous basin in the world. The basin is a Cenozoic lacustrine rift basin with widespread oil shale depositions, which provide a valuable example for understanding the mechanisms of organic accumulation. Thirty-five samples of oil shale and mudstone were collected from one of the organic-rich oil shale intervals in the Lunpola Basin to discuss the controlling factors of organic enrichment. In the investigated oil shale interval, many redox proxies, including V/(V + Ni) ratios, Mo-U covariations, and pyrite framboid size distribution suggest anoxic conditions. However, the almost consistent variation patterns of TOC, P and Mo contents indicate that organic matter accumulation was controlled mainly by primary productivity. The relatively low Sr/Ba (average 0.74) and Sr/Cu ratios (average 4.75) suggest a warm-humid climate during the oil shale deposition. These conditions are suitable for living of organisms, which would raise the initial productivity of lake and in turn could have led to the oxygen-depleted conditions. The detrital input together with fast sedimentary rate during the oil shale deposition would result in dilution of organic matter.