Geochemical characteristics of siliceous rocks of Wufeng Formation in the Late Ordovician, South China: Assessing provenance, depositional environment, and formation model

Abstract

During the Late Ordovician, abundant siliceous rocks interlayered with K‐bentonites were widely distributed in the Wufeng Formation in the north‐western part of the Sichuan Basin, South China. In order to analyse the material provenance, redox condition, sedimentary environment, and their formation, here we present mineralogical and geochemical investigations on siliceous rocks samples collected from three sections. The presence of massive radiolarian tests, high Si/Si + Al + Fe + Ca ratios (0.87–0.99) and Al–Fe–Mn diagram plotting at nonhydrothermal area, reflects that the deposition of the siliceous rocks was simultaneous, effected by biogenic and terrigenous origin. The TiO2–Zr, La/Th–Hf, and La/Yb‐∑REE bivariate diagrams indicate that the provenance of Late Ordovician siliceous rocks was primarily from felsic igneous rocks. According to the palaeoredox indicators (V/(V + Ni), V/Cr, V/Sc, U/Th, and Ni/Co) and the size of framboidal pyrite, it is considered that the water column conditions of the Late Ordovician siliceous rocks were likely to be anoxic in all three sections. The application of parameters for relatively immobile elements allowed us to establish a continental margin for most samples from the three sections. Finally, we propose that the deposition of siliceous rocks was related to the accretion of the Cathaysia Block to the Yangtze Block. During the Late Ordovician, huge amounts of volcanic ash were released by intensified volcanic eruptions and fell into the ocean, triggering the proliferation of radiolarians. The abundant radiolarians and the persistent continental detritus constituted the major components of siliceous rocks in the Upper Yangtze Block.