Depositional model of Permian Luodianian volcanic island and its impact on the distribution of fusulinid assemblage in southern Qinghai, Northwest China

Abstract

Pan-riftizational tectonic activity reached climax at Luodianian (Permian) in the East Tethyan Domain, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Because of eruptive volcanics and influence of terrigenous materials, a complex volcanic-sedimentary landform formed on the sea floor in southern Qinghai. Four sedimentary facies types were recognized based on detailed field mapping. Spatially, platform facies volcanic-limestone type was located at the center belt approximately trending NWW, surrounded by shallow water slope facies tuff/tuffite type at the two flanks and deep water slope facies breccia/calcirudite at the most outside. The depression facies sandstone-mudstone type, which comprised mainly mudstone, deposited between volcanic islands (platform facies volcanic-limestone type). Based on the field mapping and stratigraphic section data, seven rift-related sedimentary facies were recognized and a depositional model for volcanic island was proposed. It is revealed that some volcanic island chain formed quickly and intermittently in the Qamdo Block during violent eruption, and small carbonate reef, shoal, platform occurred above or on edge of volcanic island, and some slope sedimentary facies surrounded volcano island chain during dormant period of volcanic activities. Three types of fusulinid assemblages were distinguished in the carbonate rocks, which deposited in varied positions of a palaeo-volcanic island: (1) Misellina-Schwagerina assemblage occurred above or on edge of volcanic island, (2) Parafusulina assemblage was located at restricted depression facies among volcanic islands or carbonate platform, and (3) the reworked Pseudofusulina-Schwagerina assemblage occurred at slope facies near margin of volcanic island, which originally deposited in the shallow-water carbonate platform, then collapsed along the volcanic island margin with fusulinid-bearing grain-supported carbonate conglomerate or calcirudite, and finally re-deposited on the deeper slope. The sedimentary sequence resulting from calm shallow water was deposited at the interior of the Qamdo Block from the Devonian to early Early Permian. At the beginning of the peak period of activity of pan-riftzation (Luodianian), alternate volcanic island and shallow marine environment within continent crust came into being. Uniform and stable shallow-water carbonate platform was formed during the Xiangboan. This suggested that the activity of rift basin was evidently weakened. Subsequently the instability of the basin appreciably increased with the occurrence of basalt in late Kuhfengian. At last the whole Qamdo Block turned into the closure period of rift during the Late Permian.