Major and trace-element geochemistry of Late Cretaceous clastic rocks in the Jitai Basin, southeast China.

Major, trace and rare earth element (REE) geochemistry of the late Cretaceous lower Zhoutian Formation from the Jitai Basin of Southeast China were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis to infer the provenance of the sediments and to reconstruct the palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate. The wide range of Sr/Cu ratios point to a fluctuating palaeoclimate, and the negative correlation between the FeO/MnO and AlO/MgO ratios and the Sr/Cu ratio indicates that the late Cretaceous climate during the lower Zhoutian Formation in the Jitai Basin can be divided into two parts. The lower part experienced two cooling periods, whilst the upper part was dominated by warm-humid climate.

Micron-Nanometer Evaporite Mineral Compositions in the Jiangling Depression, Jianghan Basin, China, by Means of Scanning Electron Microscopy.

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze and study micron-nanometer evaporite samples collected from Paleocene and Eocene drill cores in the Jiangling Depression. Accordingly, seven beds of potassium-bearing solid rocks were accurately identified. Sylvite, carnallite, syngenite, dolomite, thenardite, anhydrite, glauberite, halite, barite, celestite, and other solid salt minerals were found, and carnallite, syngenite, and thenardite were found for the first time in the Jiangling Depression.