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Shuiquan Formation
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Shuiquan Fm base reconstruction

Shuiquan Fm

Period: 
Neoproterozoic

Age Interval: 
middle Sinian (middle Ediacaran), Z (4, 8)


Province: 
Xinjiang

Type Locality and Naming

Kuruktag region. The Shuiquan Fm was named by Zhu Chengshun et al. in 1958. The typical section is situated in Luoqinbulak (local name Shuiquan or Liuquan) in Heshuo County, and the reference section is in Zhaobi and Yardang mountains, Xinjiang Weiwuerzhu Zizhiqu (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region). Upper formation of the Kuruktag Gr (8 of 9).

Gao Zhenjia, Zhu Chengshun, etc. in 1981 further revised and divided the Yukengou system originally classified by Nuolin into (from bottom to top) the Zhamoketi Fm, Yukengou Fm, Shuiquan Fm, and Hangelchok Fm. After publication, it was cited by posterity to this day.

Synonym: （水泉组）, 柳泉布拉克组（已停用）, 罗钱岩系, 柳泉布拉克组, 柳泉岩系


Lithology and Thickness

The Shuiquan Fm is composed of carbonate rock and detrital rock, intercalated with minor volcanic rock. Lower part is dark gray medium-bedded limestone interbedded with gray thin-bedded limestone, occasionally with siltstone, fine sandstone and shale. Middle part is greenish gray thin-bedded fine sandstone to siltstone, intercalated with minor phosphatic sandstone and unstable phosphorite, siltstone interbedded with grayish green shale. Upper part is black shale, gray siltstone and silty shale, intercalated with basalt and diabase (basic volcanic rock). The thickness decreases from west to east, generally varying from 100 to over 300 m (in the middle Kuruktag with a larger thickness, more than 465 m on north slope of Xingditag), and eastward to Yulegunbulak area, it is only 10 m or thins out.

[Figure: Stratigraphic Column of the Kuruktag Gr]


Lithology Pattern: 
Sandy limestone


Relationships and Distribution

Lower contact

The Shuiquan Fm conformably overlies the underlying Yukengou Fm (middle Ediacaran). In western Tianshan, the stratigraphic column shows a Shuiquan Gr disconformably overlying the Kushitai Gr of Qingbaikouan (Tonian) age.

Upper contact

It is unconformably overlain by the Hangerqiaok Fm tillite (diamictite).

Regional extent

Kuruktag region. The formation has a wide distribution from Xishankou (east of Korla) and Aletongtag (west Kuruktag) on the west, eastward to Xidashan, Xingditag, Yardang Mountain and Xingertag (middle Kuruktag) then to Yulegunbulak area (south of Shanshan County). Included in Western Tianshan column as "Shuiquan Gr".


GeoJSON

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Fossils

The upper part yields worm fossils and macroscopic fossil algae Vendotaenia sp.. The lower part contains stromatolites Jurusania f. etc., and microplants Pseudozonosphaera asperella, P. rugosa, Monotrematosphaeridium asperum, Hubeisphaera sp., Taeniatum sp., Fuchunshania sp., Pseudodiacrodium sp., Trachysphaeridium rude, T. cultum etc.


Age 

middle Sinian (middle Ediacaran),

Age Span: 

    Beginning stage: 
Ediacaran

    Fraction up in beginning stage: 
0.4

    Beginning date (Ma): 
596.52

    Ending stage: 
Ediacaran

    Fraction up in the ending stage: 
0.55

    Ending date (Ma):  
582.09

Depositional setting


Depositional pattern:  


Additional Information

An Rb-Sr whole rock age of 672 Ma was acquired from the uppermost shale (Zhu Jiechen et al., 1987).


Compiler:  

Extracts from The Neoproterozoic Erathem (chapter in Stratigraphic Lexicon of China, draft of 2022) by Gao Linzhi, Ding Xiaozhong, Zhang Chuanheng, Zhang Heng.