Multistage formation and geochemical response of pipe-morphology cold seep carbonate in the Qiongdongnan Basin, northern South China Sea

Cold seep carbonates are commonly used to record the nature of seepage, including fluid sources, diagenetic environments, and variations in seepage activity. However, the relationship between diagenetic environments and trace element enrichment in dynamic environments is poorly understood. Pipe-morphology cold seep carbonates form from outside to inside in methane seeps and record variations in elements and isotopes over time, which can be used to reconstruct diagenetic environments and fluid dynamics. In this work, we analysed the mineral compositions, carbon and oxygen (CO) isotopes and major and trace element contents in different areas of pipe-morphology cold seep carbonate collected from the Qiongdongnan Basin in different growth directions. The cold seep carbonate exhibits changes from high-magnesian calcite (HMC) to aragonite and then to HMC, indicating that it has undergone changes in the sedimentary environment inside the fluid migration pathway. On the basis of these findings, the formation of this pipe-morphology cold seep carbonate is divided into three stages. The low δ13C values (from −36.13 ‰ to −32.18 ‰) indicate anaerobic oxidation of methane during carbonate formation. The response of δ13C to changes in the methane flux is not obvious. The gradual increase in δ18O from the outer to the inner portions suggests that the methane flux affected δ18O. The samples have relatively high enrichment factors (EFs) of molybdenum (Mo) and high molybdenum/uranium (Mo/U) ratios. The UEF values show an increasing trend from the outer to the inner portions, whereas the changes in MoEF, CdEF and VEF are not obvious. However, MoEF, CdEF, and VEF all have good correlations with Mn/Al and Fe/Al, indicating that the particulate shuttle process significantly impacts the enrichment of Mo, Cd, and V. We concluded that the enrichment of U is influenced by the methane flux, whereas the enrichment of Mo, Cd and V is unrelated to methane dynamics. This study provides insights into the behaviour of the methane flux and seawater, redox-sensitive trace element contents and changes in the sedimentary environment and plays an essential role in understanding the activities of cold seeps in dynamic environments.