Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Clay mineral records of the Erlangjian drill core sediments from the Lake Qinghai Basin, China

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Science China Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

    We’re sorry, something doesn't seem to be working properly.

    Please try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, please contact support so we can address the problem.

Abstract

Located at the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) in the Asian interior, the Lake Qinghai is sensitive to environmental change and thus an outstanding site for studying paleoenvironmental changes. Thick deposits in the Lake Qinghai provide important geological archives for obtaining high-resolution records of continental environmental history. The longest drilling core obtained from the Lake Qinghai, named Erlangjian (ELJ), reached about 1109 m and was investigated to determine its clay mineral assemblage and grain size distributions. Clay mineralogical proxies, including type, composition, and their ratios, as well as the illite crystallinity (KI) and chemical index (CI), in combination with grain size data, were used for reconstructing the history of paleoenvironmental evolution since the late Miocene in the Lake Qinghai Basin. The clay mineral records indicate that the clay mainly comprise detritus originating from peripheral material and has experienced little or no diagenesis. The proportion of authigenic origin was minor. Illite was the most abundant clay mineral, followed by chlorite, kaolinite, and smectite. Variations of clay mineral indexes reflect the cooling and drying trends in the Lake Qinghai region, and the grain size distribution is coincided with the clay minerals indexes. The paleoclimatic evolution of the Lake Qinghai Basin since the late Miocene can be divided into five intervals. The climate was relatively warm and wet in the early of late Miocene, then long-term trends in climate change character display cooling and drying; later in the late Miocene until early Pliocene the climate was in a short relatively warm and humid period; since then the climate was relatively colder and drier. These results also suggest multiple tectonic uplift events in the northeastern QTP.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ai L, Qiang X K, Song Y G, et al. 2011. Identification of greigite in the late Pleistocene sediments of Lake Qinghai and its environmental implications (in Chinese). Chin J Geophys, 54: 2309–2316

    Google Scholar 

  • Alonso-Azcârate J, Rodas M, Barrenechea J F, et al. 2005. Clay mineral as provenance indicators in continental lacustrine sequences: the Leza Formation, early Cretaceous, Cameros Basin, northern Spain. Clay Miner, 40: 79–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • An Z S, Ai L, Song Y G, et al. 2006a. Lake Qinghai scientific drilling project. Sci Drill, (2): 20–22

    Google Scholar 

  • An Z S, Wang P, Shen J, et al. 2006b. Geophysical survey on the tectonic and sediment distribution of Qinghai Lake basin. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 49: 851–861

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • An Z S, Kutzbach J E, Prell W L, et al. 2001. Evolution of Asian monsoons and phased uplift of the Himalaya-Tibetan Plateau since Late Miocene times. Nature, 411: 62–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • An Z S, Colman S M, Zhou W J, et al. 2012. Interplay between the Westerlies and Asian monsoon recorded in Lake Qinghai sediments since 32 ka. Sci Rep, 2: doi: 10.1038/srep00619

  • Biscaye P E. 1965. Mineralogy and sedimentation of recent deep-sea clay in the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas and oceans. Geol Soc Am Bull, 76: 803–832

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chamley H. 1989. Clay Sedimentology. Berlin: Springer. 1–120

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Chang H, Ao H, An Z S, et al. 2012. Magnetostratigraphy of the Suerkuli Basin indicates Pliocene (3.2 Ma) activity of the middle Altyn Tagh Fault, northern Tibetan Plateau. J Asian Earth Sci, 44: 169–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen J A, Wan G J, Zhang D D, et al. 2004. Environmental records of lacustrine sediments in different time scales: Sediment grain size as an example. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 47: 954–960

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Colman S M, Yu S Y, An Z S, et al. 2007. Late Cenozoic climate changes in China’s western interior: A review of research on Lake Qinghai and comparison with other records. Quat Sci Revs, 26: 2281–2300

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • David R, Ma H Z, David B M, et al. 2010. Paleoenvironmental and archaeological investigations at Qinghai Lake, western China: Geomorphic and chronometric evidence of lake level history. Quat Int, 218: 29–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ehrmann W U, Melles M, Kuhn G, et al. 1992. Significance of clay mineral assemblages in the Antarctic Ocean. Mar Geol, 107: 249–273

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ehrmann W U. 1998. Implications of late Eocene to early Miocene clay mineral assemblages in McMurdo Sound (Ross Sea, Antarctica) on paleoclimate and ice dynamics. Paleogeogr Paleoclimatol Paleoecol, 139: 213–231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Esquevin J. 1969. Influence de la composition chimique des illites sur leur cristallinitd. Bull Cent Rech Pau-SNPA, 3: 147–153

    Google Scholar 

  • Fang X M, Yan M D, Voo R V D, et al. 2005. Late Cenozoic deformation and uplift of the NE Tibetan Plateau: Evidence from high-resolution magnetostratigraphy of the Guide Basin, Qinghai Province, China. Geol Soc Am Bull, 117: 1208–1225

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Franke D, Ehrmann, W. 2010. Neogene clay mineral assemblages in the AND-2A drill core (McMurdo Sound, Antarctica) and their implications for environmental change. Paleogeogr Paleoclimatol Paleoecol, 286: 55–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fu C F, An Z S, Qiang X K, et al. 2013. Magnetostratigraphic determination of the age of ancient Lake Qinghai, and record of the East Asian monsoon since 4.63 Ma. Geology, 41: 875–878

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hao H, Ferguson D K, Chang H, et al. 2012. Vegetation and climate of the Lop Nur area, China, during the past 7 million years. Clim Change, 113: 323–338

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henderson A C, Holmes J A. 2009. Palaeolimnological evidence for environmental change over the past millennium from Lake Qinghai sediments: A review and future research prospective. Quat Int, 194: 134–147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ji J F, Browne P, Liu Y J, et al. 1998. Kinetic model for the smectite to illite transformation in active geothermal systems. Chin Sci bull, 43: 1042–1044

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ji J F, Balsam W, Shen J, et al. 2009. Centennial blooming of anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria in Qinghai Lake linked to solar and monsoon activities during the last 18,000 years. Quat Sci Revs, 28: 1304–1308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kisch H J. 1991. Illite crystallinity: Recommendations on sample preparation, X-ray diffraction settings, and interlaboratory samples. J Metamorph Geol, 9: 665–670

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lanzhou Branch of Chinese Academy of Science (LBCAS), Centre for Resources and Environment of Western China (CRWC). 1994. Evolution of Recent Environment in Qinghai Lake and its Prediction. Beijing: Science Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Li J J, Fang X M. 1999. Uplift of the Tibetan Plateau and environmental changes. Chin Sci Bull, 44: 2117–2124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lisiecki L E, Raymo M E. 2005. A Pliocene-Pleistocene stack of 57 globally distributed benthic δ 18O records. Paleoceanography, 20: PA1003, doi: 10.1029/2004PA001071

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu X J, Colman S M, Brown E T, et al. 2013. Abrupt deglaciation on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau: Evidence from Lake Qinghai. J Paleolimn, doi: 10.1007/s10933-013-9721-y

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu T S. Loess and Environment (in Chinese). 1985. Beijing: Science Press. 44–300, 342–377

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu Z F, Trentesaux A, Clemens S C, et al. 2003. Clay mineral assemblages in the northern South China Sea: implications for East Asian monsoon evolution over the past 2 million years. Mar Geol, 201: 133–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Z F, Colin C, Trentesaux A, et al. 2004. Erosional history of the eastern Tibetan Plateau since 190 kyr ago: Clay mineralogical and geochemical investigations from the southwestern South China Sea. Mar Geol, 209: 1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Z F, Colin C, Huang W, et al. 2007. Climatic and tectonic controls on weathering in south China and Indochina Peninsula: Clay mineralogical and geochemical investigations from the Pearl, Red, and Mekong drainage basins. Geochem Geophy Geosy, doi: 10.1029/2006GC001490

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu H Y, Wang X Y, An Z S, et al. 2004. Geomorphologic evidence of phased uplift of the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau since 14 million years ago. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 47: 822–833

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Müller G, Irion G, Förstner U. 1972. Formation and diagenesis of inorganic Ca-Mg carbonates in the lacustrine environment. Naturwiss-enschaften, 59: 158–164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merriman R J, Roberts B. 2001. Low-grade metamorphism in the Scottish Southern Uplands terrane: Deciphering the patterns of accretionary burial, shearing and cryptic aureoles. T Roy Soc Edin-Earth, 91: 521–538

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore D M, Reynolds R C. 1989. X-Ray Diffraction and the Identification and Analysis of Clay Minerals. Oxford County: Oxford University Press. 101–196

    Google Scholar 

  • Pal D K, Bhattacharyya T, Sinha R, et al. 2012. Clay minerals record from Late Quaternary drill cores of the Ganga Plains and their implications for provenance and climate change in the Himalayan foreland. Paleogeogr Paleoclimatol Paleoecol, 356: 27–37

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qiang X K, An Z S, Song Y G, et al. 2011. New eolian red clay sequence on the western Chinese Loess Plateau linked to onset of Asian desertification about 25 Ma ago. Sci China Earth Sci, 54: 136–144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raymo M, Ruddiman W F. 1992. Tectonic forcing of late Cenozoic climate. Nature, 359: 117–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rea D K, Snoeckx H, Joseph L H. 1998. Late Cenozoic eolian deposition in the North Pacific: Asian drying, Tibetan uplift, and cooling of the northern hemisphere. Paleoceanography, 13: 215–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shang X, Li X Q, An Z S, et al. 2009. Modern pollen rain in the Lake Qinghai basin, China. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 52: 1510–1519

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singer A. 1984. The paleoclimatic interpretation of clay minerals in sediments-A review. Ear-Sci Rev, 21: 251–293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun D H, Lu H Y. 2007. Grain-size and dust accumulation rate of Late Cenozoic aeolian deposits and the inferred atmospheric circulation evolutions (in Chinese). Quat Sci, 27: 251–262

    Google Scholar 

  • Tian J, Zhao Q, Wang P, et al. 2008. Astronomically modulated Neogene sediment records from the South China Sea. Paleoceanography, 23: doi: 10.1029/2007PA001552

  • Vogt C. 1997. Regional and temporal variations of mineral assemblages in Arctic Ocean sediments as climatic indicator during glacial/interglacial changes. Reports Polar Res, 251: 309

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang C W, Hong H L, Xiang S Y, et al. 2008. Characteristics of clay mineral and their paleoclimatic indicators of Early Pleistocene sediments form Alag Lake, east Kunlun (in Chinese). Geol Sci Technol Information, 27: 37–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang W, Kirby E, Peizhen Z, et al. 2013. Tertiary basin evolution along the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau: Evidence for basin formation during Oligocene transtension. Geol Soc Am Bull, 125: 377–400

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang S M, Dou H, Chen K Z, et al. 1998. Lakes in China. Beijing: Science Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang X X, Wang G L, Cai J G, et al. 2006. Organoclay Complexes in Relation to Petroleum Generation (in Chinese). Beijing: Petroleum Industry Press. 1–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang Z C, Zhang P Z, Garzione C N, et al. 2012. Magnetostratigraphy and depositional history of the Miocene Wushan basin on the NE Tibetan plateau, China: Implications for middle Miocene tectonics of the West Qinling fault zone. J Asian Earth Sci, 44: 189–202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warr L N, Rice A H N. 1994. Interlaboratory standardization and calibration of clay mineral crystallinity and crystallite size data. J Metamorph Geol, 12: 141–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu C, Lin L Z, Yang B. 1989. The clay mineral in Lake Qinghai sediment (in Chinese). Scientia Geol Sin, (4): 348–354

    Google Scholar 

  • Yin Z Q, Qin X G, Wu J S, et al. 2008. Multimodal grain-size distribution characteristics and formation mechanism of lake sediments (in Chinese). Quat Sci, 28: 345–353

    Google Scholar 

  • Zachos J, Pagani M, Sloan L, et al. 2001. Trends, rhythms, and aberrations in global climate 65 Ma to present. Science, 292: 686–693

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeng C. 2008. Isotopic records for carbonates form lake Qinghai and adiacent area and changes of the monsoon-arid environment (in Chinese). Doctoral Dissertation. Xi’an: Institute of Earth and Environment, Chinese Academic of Science. 22–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeng L, Wang L S, Xu H X, et al. 2010. The X-ray diffraction analysis methods of clay mineral and the common non-clay mineral in the sedimentary rock (in Chinese). Chin Oil Gas Industry Standard, SY/T 5163-2010, 1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeng M X, Song Y G. 2012. Study on the influencing factors of Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm for X-ray diffraction quantitative phase analysis (in Chinese). Rock Mineral Analysis, 31: 798–806

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeng M X, Song Y G. 2013a. Application of the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm for X-Ray diffraction quantitative phase analysis (in Chinese). Earth Sci-J China Univ Geosci, 38: 431–440

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeng M X, Song Y G. 2013b. Carbonate minerals of Zhaosu loess section in westerly area and their paleoenvironmental significance (in Chinese). Quat Sci, 33: 424–436

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeng M X, Song Y G. 2013c. Mineral composition and their weathering significance of Zhaosu loess-paleosol sequence in the Ili Basin, Xinjiang (in Chinese). Geol Rev, 59: 575–586

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang H P, Craddock W H, Lease R O, et al. 2012. Magnetostratigraphy of the Neogene Chaka basin and its implications for mountain building processes in the north-eastern Tibetan Plateau. Basin Res, 24: 31–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu Z J, Chen J A, Li D H, et al. 2012. Li/Ca ratios of ostracod shells at Lake Qinghai, NE Tibetan Plateau, China: A potential temperature indicator. Environ Earth Sci, 67: 1735–1742

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao L, Ji J F, Chen J, et al. 2005. Variations of illite/chlorite ratio in Chinese loess sections during the last glacial and interglacial cycle: Implications for monsoon reconstruction. Geophys Res Lett, 32: L20718

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng H B, Powell C M, An Z S, et al. 2000. Pliocene uplift of the northern Tibetan Plateau. Geology, 28: 715–718

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi’an, 710075, China

    MengXiu Zeng, YouGui Song, ZhiSheng An, Hong Chang & Yue Li

  2. School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China

    MengXiu Zeng

Authors
  1. MengXiu Zeng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. YouGui Song
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. ZhiSheng An
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hong Chang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Yue Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to YouGui Song.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zeng, M., Song, Y., An, Z. et al. Clay mineral records of the Erlangjian drill core sediments from the Lake Qinghai Basin, China. Sci. China Earth Sci. 57, 1846–1859 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-013-4817-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-013-4817-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation