Geological Controls on Geochemical Anomaly of the Carbonaceous Mudstones in Xian’an Coalfield, Guangxi Province, China

Bo Li, Fuqiang Zhang, Jialong Liao, Baoqing Li, Xinguo Zhuang, Xavier Querol, Natalia Moreno and Yunfei Shangguan
Additional contact information
Bo Li: Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources, China University of Geosciences, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430074, China
Fuqiang Zhang: Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources, China University of Geosciences, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430074, China
Jialong Liao: Guangxi Bureau of Coal Geology, Liuzhou 545005, China
Baoqing Li: Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources, China University of Geosciences, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430074, China
Xinguo Zhuang: Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources, China University of Geosciences, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430074, China
Xavier Querol: Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources, China University of Geosciences, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430074, China
Natalia Moreno: Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDÆA-CSIC C/Jordi Girona, 18–26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
Yunfei Shangguan: Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources, China University of Geosciences, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430074, China

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 14, 1-22

Abstract: The anomalous enrichment of the rare earth elements and yttrium (REY), U, Mo, As, Se, and V in the coal-bearing intervals intercalated within the carbonate successions in South China has attracted much attention due to the highly promising recovery potential for these elements. This study investigates the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of the late Permian coal-bearing intervals (layers A–F) intercalated in marine carbonate strata in the Xian’an Coalfield in Guangxi Province to elucidate the mode of occurrence and enrichment process of highly elevated elements. There are two mineralogical assemblages, including quartz-albite-kaolinite-carbonates assemblage in layers D–F and quartz-illite-kaolinite-carbonates assemblage in layers A–C. Compared to the upper continental crust composition (UCC), the REY, U, Mo, As, Se, and V are predominantly enriched in layers A and B, of which layer A displays the REY–V–Se–As assemblage while layer B shows the Mo–U–V assemblage. The elevated REY contents in layer B are primarily hosted by clay minerals, zircon, and monazite; Mo, U, and V show organic association; and As and Se primarily display Fe-sulfide association. Three geological factors are most likely responsible for geochemical anomaly: (1) the more intensive seawater invasion gives rise to higher sulfur, Co, Ni, As, and Se contents, as well as higher Sr/Ba ratio in layers A–C than in layers D–F; (2) both the input of alkaline pyroclastic materials and the solution/rock interaction jointly govern the anomalous enrichment of REY; and (3) the influx of syngenetic or early diagenetic hydrothermal fluids is the predominant source of U, Mo, V, Se, and As.

Keywords: geochemistry; rare earth elements and Y (REY); Yunkai Upland; Heshan Formation; mineral (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/14/5196/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/14/5196/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:14:p:5196-:d:865148

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().