Carbon–sulfur–calcium isotopic variability of lower Cambrian shale-hosted carbonate concretions: Insights into growth mechanisms and calcium cycling

Abstract

Marine calcium cycling is closely linked with carbon cycling in the ocean, in which authigenic carbonates precipitated in sediments play a non-negligible role. However, calcium cycling during authigenic carbonate precipitation in organic-rich, shaly sediments in geological history remains underexplored. This study focuses on carbonate concretions (aggregates of authigenic carbonates) in the lower Cambrian Niutitang Formation, South China, to provide insights into calcium cycling during their growth. Sedimentological and mineralogical observations suggest that these concretions were formed through concentric growth by authigenic calcite and pyrite precipitation during the early diagenetic stage. Geochemical analyses reveal internal variations in “M-shaped” δ¹³C_carb trends (from −11.9 ‰ to −4.4 ‰) and diverse δ³⁴S_pyr trends (from 4.7 ‰ to 14.0 ‰) along core-to-rim transects. These findings suggest formation through microbial sulfate reduction by organic matter in a shallow depth beneath the sediment–water interface. In contrast to the dynamic δ¹³C_carb and δ³⁴S_pyr variations and multi-stage concentric growth, these carbonate concretions display nearly uniform δ^44/40Ca_carb values (from 0.80 ‰ to 1.03 ‰, average 0.96 ± 0.06 ‰, 1SD) and consistent internal trends, which are further attributed to strongly seawater-buffered porewater calcium geochemistry and small calcium isotope fractionation due to calcite precipitation at slow rates. This study confirms that early diagenetic carbonate concretions in the lower Cambrian Niutitang Formation are characterized by much heavier δ^44/40Ca values compared to coeval shallow platform carbonates. In light of abundant authigenic carbonates observed in the lower Cambrian successions, their roles in calcium isotope mass balance in the early Cambrian ocean warrant further investigation in the future. Therefore, early diagenetic carbonate concretions in black shales could provide valuable insights into porewater and seawater calcium isotope signals, as well as early diagenetic and marine calcium cycling in geological history.