Abstract
AbstractThis article reports new geochemical data from Permian sandstones, most probably deposited during a period of postcollisional extension, from the Yamansu, Shaquanzi, and Xingxingxia areas in the Eastern Tianshan, northwestern China, to determine and characterize their provenance and source nature. The medium- to coarse-grained sandstones are composed mainly of angular to subangular quartz and volcanic fragments, with minor plagioclase and/or microcline, suggesting proximal deposition. Although the samples show relatively large variations in SiO2 (59.7–70.8 wt%), Al2O3 (9.0–14.9 wt%), and Fe2O3T + MgO (2.3–5.2 wt%) contents, they yield low chemical index of alteration values (41–55) but high index of compositional variability values (1.06–1.78), suggestive of their derivation mainly from compositionally immature sources with weak chemical weathering. Their relatively low Zr concentrations (99–225 ppm) and GdN/YbN ratios (1.20–1.53) manifest insignificant zircon and monazite enrichments. Most of the...
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