Geochemistry and clay mineralogy of shales in the Sulu Orogenic Belt, East China: suggestion for continental weathering during an Early Cretaceous hyperthermal interval

ABSTRACT Understanding past weathering–climate feedback mechanisms under greenhouse conditions has significance for guiding the development of climate mitigation strategies. The continental paleoweathering state of Early Cretaceous shales in the Sulu Orogenic Belt of East China during a hyperthermal interval related to oceanic anoxic event 1a (OAE1a) was investigated via geochemical and clay mineralogical analyses of shale samples. The resulting diagrams of ternary 15Al2O3–Zr–300TiO2 discrimination, Th/Sc and Zr/Sc show that the geochemical composition was mainly controlled by source composition. This is supported by observations of low Zr contents, high indexes of compositional variability (ICV; > 1), and micropetrological characteristics. All samples showed narrow SiO2/Al2O3 and (Fe2O3 + MgO)/Al2O3 ranges that were within the predicted weathering trends of the ternary A-CN-K diagram, indicating that the shale geochemistry was not influenced by silicification and K-metasomatism. The chondrite-normalized rare-earth-element pattern suggests that all samples had the same felsic igneous parent rock. The geochemistry of whole rocks and their silicate fractions indicates that the shale had low chemical indexes of alteration (CIA) but high ICV values compared to post-Archean Australian Shale, indicating low sediment maturity and extremely weak chemical weathering in the source terrane and/or sedimentary basin under hot-dry conditions. Moreover, the clay minerals in the shale were mainly illite, suggesting low mineral weathering. Thus, during the OAE1a-related hyperthermal interval, chemical weathering was relatively weak in some mid-latitude arid inland areas. This may be mainly due to aridification decreasing water–rock reactions. Chemostratigraphic analysis suggests that the CIA, Ga/Rb, and Rb/Sr values of shales from the upper strata of the Yangjiazhuang and Shuinan formations were greater than those from lower strata. Moreover, the opposite trend in K2O/Al2O3 ratios was found. These indices suggest gradual increases in chemical weathering as the climate changed from hot-dry to warm-humid. In contrast, proxy indices of shale from the Zhifengzhuang Formation showed the opposite trend, suggesting a gradual decrease in chemical weathering as the climate changed from warm-humid to hot-dry. Considering the composition of the clay minerals, it is speculated that continental weathering was dependent on atmospheric humidity rather than temperature under the extreme greenhouse conditions, resulting in ineffective climate regulation by chemical weathering. This comprehensive study advances our understanding of the weathering–climate feedback mechanism under greenhouse regimes.