Abstract
The geochemistry of Upper Quaternary organic-rich (Corg 3.7–10.0%) sediments recovered by the 40-m-long Core MD02-2508 from the upper continental slope of Baja California is compared to the chemical composition of sedimentary rocks from the Miocene Monterey Formation, California. It is ascertained that concentrations of most macroelements (Al, Ti, Mg, K, Fe, M, S, Corg) and many microelements, including chalcophiles Ag, As, Mo, Sb, Se, Zn, along with some others (U, Co, Ni, Y, and REE) are nearly equal in both types of sediments. In addition, concentrations of most microelements in both types of sediments are close, to the average values common for the worldwide carbonaceous black shales irrespective of their lithology and age, indicating a stable influence of organic matter on their concentration during sedimentation and early digenesis.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Balashov, Yu.A., Geokhimiya redkozemel’nykh elementov (Geochemistry of Rare Earth Elements), Moscow: Nauka, 1976.
Baturin, G.N., Some unique sedimentological and geochemical features of deposits in coastal upwelling regions, in Coastal Upwelling. Its Sediment Record, Suess, E. and Thiede, J., Eds., New York: Plenum Press, 1983, part B, pp. 11–28.
Baturin, G.N., Fosfatonakoplenie v okeane (Phosphate Deposition in the Ocean), Moscow: Nauka, 2004.
Baturin, G.N., Modern ore-bearing facies in oceanic coastal upwelling zones, in Geologiya morei i okeanov (Geology of Seas and Oceans), Moscow: GEOS, 2009, vol. 2, pp. 224–227.
Baturin, G.N., Geochemistry of sapropel in the Black Sea, Geochem Int., 2011, no. 5, pp. 531–535.
Baturin, G.N., Comparison of elemental composition of recent and ancient carbonaceous sediments, Dokl. Earth Sci., 2012a, vol. 444, no. 5, pp. 729–733.
Baturin, G.N., Metal potential of biogenic phosphate sediments in the Maikopian Sea and upwelling zones in the modern ocean, Vozniknoveniya i razvitie biosfery (Origin and Evolution of Biosphere), Galimov, E.M., Ed., Moscow: Nauka, 2012b, pp. 56–57.
Baturin, G.N. and Emel’yanov, E.M., Minor elements in carbonaceous sediments of the Baltic Sea, Okeanology, 2012, vol. 52, no. 4, pp. 505–513.
Beaufort, L., MD126/IMAGES VIII/MONA Cruise Report (Les Rapports de Campagnes a la Mer), 2002, Ref.OCE/2002/03.
Behl, R.J., The Monterey Formation of California: New research directions, in Search and Discovery Article. AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, Long Beach, California, April 22–25, 2012, p. 10435.
Blanchet, C.L., Thouveny, N., and Vidal, L., Terrigenous input response to glacial/interglacial climatic variations over South Baja California: A rock magnetic approach, Quat. Sci. Rev., 2007, vol. 26, pp. 3118–3133.
Bramlett, M.N., The Monterey Formation of California and the origin of its siliceous rocks, US Geol. Surv. Prof. Paper, 1964, no. 212.
Brongersma-Sanders, M., Stephan, K.M., Kwee, T.G., and De Bruin, M., Distribution of minor elements in cores from the West African shelf with notes on plankton and fish mortality, Mar. Geol., 1980, vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 91–132.
Brumsack, H.J., A note on Cretaceous black shales and Recent sediments from oxygen deficient environments: Paleoceanographic implications, in Coastal Upwelling. Its Sediment Record, Suess, E. and Thiede, J., Eds., London: Plenum Press, 1983, part A, pp. 472–484.
Calvert, S.E. and Price, N.B., Geochemstry of Namibian sediments, in Coastal Upwellng. Its Sediment Record, Suess, E. and Thiede, J., Eds., London: Plenum Press, 1983, part A, pp. 337–375.
Coastal Upwelling. Its Sediment Record, Suess, E. and Thiede, J., Eds., New York: Plenum Press, 1983, parts A and B.
Dubinin, A.V., Geokhimiya redkozemel’nykh elementov v okeane (Geochemistry of Rare Earth Elements in the Ocean), Moscow: Nauka, 2006.
Emery, K.O., Continental shelf sediments off southern California, Bull. Geol. Soc. Am., 1952, vol. 63, pp. 1105–1108.
Emery, K.O., The Sea off Southern California: A Modern Habitat of Petroleum, New York: Wiley, 1960.
Emery, K.O. and Shepard, F.P., Lithology of the sea floor off southern California, Bull. Geol. Sov. Am., 1945, vol. 56, no. 4, pp. 431–478.
Govean, F.M. and Garrison, R.E., Significance of laminated and massive diatomites in the upper part of the Monterey Formation, California, in The Monterey Formation and Related Siliceous Rocks of California, Garrison, R.E. and Douglas, R.G., Eds., Los Angeles: Soc. Econ. Paleontol. Mineral., Pacific Section, 1981, pp. 181–198.
Grigor’ev, N.A., Average Concentrations of Chemical Elements in Rocks of the Upper Continental Crust, Geochem. Int., 2003, pp. 711–718.
Gromet, L.P., Dymek, R.F., Haskin, L.A. and Korotev, R.L., The “North American shale composite”: Its compilation, major and trace elements characteristics, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 1964, vol. 48, no. 12, pp. 2469–2482.
Isaacs, C.M., Abundance versus rate of accumulation in fine-grained strata of the Miocene Santa Barbara Basin, California, J. Geophys. Res., 1985, no. 1, pp. 25–30.
Isaacs, C.M., Diagenesis in the Monterey Formation Examined Laterally along the Coast near Santa Barbara (California), Stanford: Stanf. Univ., 1995.
Isaacs, C.M., Keller, M.A., Gennai, V.A., et al., Preliminary evaluation of Miocene lithostratigraphy in the Point Conception COST Well OCS-CAL 78-164 off Southern California, in Petroleum generation and occurrence in Monterey Formation, California, Isaacs, C.M. and Garrison, R.E., Eds., Los Angeles: Soc. Econ. Paleont. Mineral., Pacific Section, 1983, pp. 99–110.
Ketris, M.P. and Yudovich, Ya.E., Estimation of Clarks in carbonaceous biolithes: World averages for trace element contents in black shales and coals, Int. J. Coal Geol., 2009, vol. 78, pp. 135–148.
Kholodov, V.N., Geokhimiya osadochnogo protsessa (Geochemistry of Sedimentary Process), Moscow: GEOS, 2006.
Kholodov, V.N. and Nedumov, R.I., Role of organic matter at the early stage of black shale formation, in Sedikakhity na rannikh stadiyakh litogeneza (Sedikachites at Early Stages of Lithogenesis), Moscow: Nauka, 1982, pp. 136–147.
Leduc, G., Variations temporelles des changements hydrologiques dans la zone du Pacifique Est. Approches geochimiques, isotopiques et micropaleontologiques, These D. Sc. Univ. Aix Marseille III, 2007.
Leventhal, J.S., Geochemistry of minor and trace elements of 22 core samples from the Monterey Formation and related rocks in the Santa Maria Basin, California, US Geol. Surv. Bull., 1989, no. 1581B, pp. B1–B11.
McLennan, S.M., Rare earth element geochemistry and the “tetrad effect,” Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 1994, vol. 58, pp. 2025–2033.
Meyers, S.R., Sageman, B.B., and Lyons, T.W., Organic carbon burial rate and the molybdenum proxy: Theoretical framework and application to Cenomanian-Turonian oceanic anoxic event 2, Paleoceanography, 2002, vol. 20, p. A2002. doi: 10.1029/2004PA001068.
Migdisov, A.A., Balashov, Yu.A., and Sharkov, I.V., Development of rare earth elements in major lithotypes of the sedimentary cover of the Russian Platform, Geokhimiya, 1994, no. 6, pp. 789–803.
Murdmaa, I.O., Kazarina, G.Kh., Beaufort, L., et al., Upper Quaternary laminated sapropelic sediments from the continental slope of Baja California, Lithol. Miner. Resear., 2010, no. 2, pp. 154–171.
Piper, D.Z., Rare earth elements in the sedimentary cycle: A summary, Chem. Geol., 1974, vol.14, no. 4, pp. 285–304.
Piper, D.Z. and Isaacs, C.M., Geochemistry of microelements in the Monterey Formation, California, in Seawater Chemistry and Deposition. US Geol. Surv. Prof. Paper, 1995, no. 1566.
Strakhov, N.M., Osnovy teorii litogeneza (Fundamentals of the Theory of Lithogenesis), Moscow: Nauka, 1962, vol. 2.
Turekian, K.K. and Wedepohl, K.H., Distribution of the elements in some major units in the earth crust, Bull. Geol. Soc. Am., 1961, vol. 72, no. 2, pp. 175–190.
Vinogradov, A.P., Average content of chemical elements in rocks, Geokhimiya, 1962, no. 7, pp. 555–571.
Yudovich, Ya.E. and Ketris, M.P., Geokhimiya chernykh slantsev (Geochemistry of Black Shales), Leningrad: Nauka, 1988.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Original Russian Text © G.N. Baturin, I.O. Murdmaa, L. Beaufort, G.N. Alekhina, 2016, published in Litologiya i Poleznye Iskopaemye, 2016, No. 2, pp. 103–117.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Baturin, G.N., Murdmaa, I.O., Beaufort, L. et al. Comparative geochemistry of quaternary carbonaceous sediments from the continental slope of the Baja California and the miocene monterey formation. Lithol Miner Resour 51, 93–106 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0024490216020024
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0024490216020024