Basic-to-acid and acid-to-basic zonation in the sulfur isotope composition of diagenetic sulfide nodules

Abstract

The typical for marine sediments decrease in the amount of sulfate ion in interstitial solutions with increasing depth owing to sulfate reduction and attenuation of the diffusion of near-bottom waters is manifested as the basic-to-acid zonation in the sulfur isotope composition of the diagenetic pyrite nodules (increase of δ³⁴S values from the center to edge). In sandstones of the Early Carboniferous Emyaksin Formation, which is developed at middle reaches of the Vilyui River (Sakha-Yakutia), we detected a peculiar sulfide nodule. In contrast to common nodules, this nodule is marked by the δ³⁴S value decreasing from 7.5…8.6‰ at the center to –30…–31.4‰ at the edge. Such acid-to-basic zonation is attributed to the origin of nodule in a freshened basin (delta) with a sulfate-depleted environment, which gave way to a sulfate-enriched environment owing to the expulsion brines from the underlying gypsiferous sequences.