Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Mineralogical characteristics and sedimentary envrionment significance of water-insoluble minerals in potash deposits of Vientiane Basin of Laos

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Carbonates and Evaporites Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The potash-bearing deposit was located in the Vientiane Basin of Laos where exists one of eastern Tethys metallogenic belt. The water-insoluble of Thongmang mining area in this basin were selected as carrier, through leaching and analysis, showed the water-insoluble minerals mainly include anhydrite, boracite, hilgardite, carbonate, quartz and muscovite, in which anhydrite, boracite and muscovite were dominant minerals. Mineralogical and morphological analyses of the water-insoluble minerals from different borehole-derived potash mineral strata have elucidated the evolution process of brine salt formation and restore the paleo-potassium deposit environment. The water-insoluble minerals revealed that the sedimentary environment in the late stage of salinity belongs to the shallow water disturbing environment. Accompanied by the fluvial influx and the influence continued, under the strong influence of terrestrial water body in the late salt-forming period, the evolution process of salt-forming brine will inevitably be affected. And the displacement of sedimentary center occurred during the metallogenic stage. Thus, this studies show that the characteristics of the water-insoluble can be used to retrieve the evolution process of brine salt formation and refect environment changes of the paleo-potassium deposits. In a word, the characteristics of water-insoluble minerals can provide effective information  indicating the changes of sedimentary environments at the late stage of brine evolution.

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

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3 
Fig. 4 
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Fan PF (2000) Accreted terranes and mineral deposits of Indochina. J Asian Earth Sci 18:343–350

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flügel E (2010) Microfacies of carbonate rocks—analysis interpretation and application. Springer, Berlin-Heidelberg, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Garrett DE (1996) Potash deposits-processing, properties and uses. Chapman and Hall, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Grice JD, Gault RA, Velthuizen JV (2005) Borate minerals of the Penobsquis and Millstream Deposits, southern New Brunswick Canada. Can Mineral 43:1469–1487

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hite RJ, Japakasetr T (1979) Potash deposits of Khorat Plateau Thailand Laos. Econ Geol 74:448–458

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li MH, Yan MD, Fang XM, Zhang ZJ, Wang ZHR, Sun SR, Li J, Liu XM (2018) Origins of the Mid-Cretaceous evaporite deposits of the Sakhon Nakhon basin in Laos: evidence from the stable isotopes of halite. J Geochem Explor 184:209–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meesook A (2000) Cretaceous environments of northeastern Thailand. In: Okada H, Mateer NJ (eds) Cretaceous environments of Asia. Amsterdam, Elsevier, pp 207–223

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Metcalfe I (1996) Gondwanaland dispersion, Asian accretion and evolution of eastern Tethys. Aust J Earth Sci 43(6):605–623

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Metcalfe I (2006) Palaeozoic and Mesozoic tectonic evolution and palaeogeography of east Asian crustal fragments: the Korean peninsula in context. Gondwana Res 9(1–2):24–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Metcalfe I (2011) Tectonic framework and Phanerozoic evolution of Sundaland. Gondwana Res 19:3–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Metcalfe I (2013) Gondwana dispersion and Asian accretion: tectonic and palaeogeographic evolution of eastern Tethys. J Asian Earth Sci 66:1–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qu YH, Yuan PQ, Shuai KY, Zhang Y, Cai KQ, Jia SY, Chen CD (1998) Potash forming rules and prospect of Lower Tertiary in Lanping-Simao basin Yunnan. Geological Publishing House, Beijing, pp 1–118 (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Racey A, Goodall JGS (2009) Palynology and stratigraphy of the Mesozoic Khorat Group of NE Thailand. In: Buffetaut E, Cuny G, Le Loeuff J, Suteethorn V (eds) Late Palaeozoic and Mesozoic ecosystems in SE Asia. Geological Society, London Special Publications, pp 67–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Ren QH, Du YSH, Gao DL, Li BK, Zhang YX, Liu XT, Yong XL (2018) A multi–fluid constrain for the forming of potash deposits in the Savannakhet basin: geochemical evidence from halite. Acta Geologica Sinica (english Edition) 92(2):755–768

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richter DK (1983) Calcareous ooids: asynopsis. In: Peryt TM (ed) Coated grains. Springer, Berlin, pp 71–99

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Saminpanya S, Duangkrayom J, Jintasakul P, Hanta R (2014) Petrography, mineralogy and geochemistry of Cretaceous sediment samples from western Khorat Plateau, Thailand, and considerations on their provenance. J Asian Earth Sci 83:13–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simone L (1981) Ooids: a review. Earth Sci Rev 16:319–355

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • El Tabakh M, Schreiber BC, Utha-Aroon C, Coshell L, Warren JK (1998) Diagenetic origin of basal anhydrite in the Cretaceous Maha Sarakham salt: Khorat Plateau NE Thailand. Sedimentology 45:579–594

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tan HB, Ma HZ, Li BK, Zhang XY, Xiao YK (2010) Strontium and boron isotopic constraint on the marine origin of the Khammuane potash deposits in south eastern Laos. Chin Sci Bull 55(3):1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Tang QL, Zhang XY, Miao WL, Li YSH (2013) Study of geochemical characteristics of salt deposits during halogeneses in Tongmang mining area, Vientiane Laos. J Salt Lake Res 21(03):10–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Utha-Aroon C (1993) Continental origin of the Maha Sarakham evaporites, north eastern Thailand. J Southeast Asia Earth Sci 8(1–4):193–203

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang XY, Ma HZH, Ma YQ, Tang QL, Yuan XL (2013) Origin of the late Cretaceous potash-bearing evaporates in the Vientiane basin of Laos: δ11B evidence from borates. J Asian Earth Sci 62:812–818

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang XY, Cheng HD, Tan HB, Yuan XL, Li YSH, Miao WL, Li TW, Ma HZH (2015) Late Cretaceous potash evaporites in Savannakhet basin of middle Laos: geochemical evidences of non–marine inputs. Acta Petrologica Sinica 31(09):2783–2793 (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all the partner who assisted with analyzing the insoluble minerals. The work in this article is supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41602086) and (42072101).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Comprehensive and Highly Efficient Utilization of Salt Lake Resources, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810008, China

    Tang Qi-liang, Zhang Xi-ying, Miao Wei-liang, Ma Hai-zhou, Li Yong-shou, Li Wen-xia & Yuan Xiao-long

  2. Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Geology and Environment of Salt Lake, Xining, 810008, China

    Tang Qi-liang, Zhang Xi-ying, Miao Wei-liang, Ma Hai-zhou, Li Yong-shou, Li Wen-xia & Yuan Xiao-long

Authors
  1. Tang Qi-liang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zhang Xi-ying
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Miao Wei-liang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ma Hai-zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Li Yong-shou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Li Wen-xia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Yuan Xiao-long
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhang Xi-ying.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Qi-liang, T., Xi-ying, Z., Wei-liang, M. et al. Mineralogical characteristics and sedimentary envrionment significance of water-insoluble minerals in potash deposits of Vientiane Basin of Laos. Carbonates Evaporites 36, 70 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-021-00734-5

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-021-00734-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation