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China is facing many challenges in the area of high‐precision exploration for deep mineral resources, and also in environmental and engineering fields. It has become an urgent task to realize geophysical explorations with high precision and high efficiency in complex environments. It has been found that the traditional transient electromagnetic method (TEM) had a series of problems related to theory, method, and instrument, as well as data interpretation. Based on the reviews of present TEM achievements, three new improved measurements are introduced. The central‐loop system was improved by a large fixed‐loop system; the long‐offset system was changed to the short‐offset one; the resistivity profile was transformed into a virtual wave‐field profile. Finally, this paper points out that the future research direction of the TEM method is in terms of equipment, data processing, and big data information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Jurassic shale is an important source rock for the found gas reservoirs in the Tarim Basin, northwestern China, but has never been researched for shale gas potential. The geological effects on methane adsorption capacity for the gas shale have been investigated in this paper through the geochemical, mineralogical and adsorption analyses on samples from wells and sections. The methane adsorption capacity ranges from 0.58 to 16.57 cm3/g, and the total organic carbon (TOC) content is between 0.5 and 13.5 wt%. The organic maturity measured by Tmax is between 410 °C (immature) and 499 °C (overmature). The methane adsorption capacity of the Jurassic continental shale in the Tarim Basin is affected by many geological factors, including the TOC content, organic matter maturity, mineral composition, surface area and pore size distribution. The TOC content is the most significant factor with a positive effect on the adsorption capacity of the Jurassic shale, and the influence varies piecewise according to the TOC content. The TOC content contributes much more to the methane adsorption capacity of organic-rich shale samples (TOC content > 0.7 wt%) than to the organic-lean samples (TOC content < 0.7 wt%). The mineral composition is a secondary factor, and the abundance of clay content has a positive effect on the methane adsorption capacity despite its relatively weaker adsorption ability compared to TOC. The pore size distribution has different effects on surface area and pore volume. Mesopores and micropores provide the major surface area and are mainly derived from TOC and illite, which has a positive influence on the adsorption capacity. Mesopores and macropores offer the major pore volume and are mainly formed by illite, which is the major contributor for pore volume rather than surface area. In addition, the TOC and illite contents of the Jurassic shale in the Tarim Basin are closely related to the origin, maturity and diagenesis evolution of the shale: (1) both TOC and illite content variations are related to the different provenances and depositional environments of shale; (2) the decrease of TOC content with increasing maturity is also partly attributed to hydrocarbon generation; and (3) the increase of illite content with increasing maturity is due to illitization in the diagenesis of shale. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the surface and Holocene aeolian deposits in the southeastern Mu Us Desert, N. China, systematically analysing the evolution of the geochemical characteristics of aeolian sand-palaeosol sequences and their environmental significance. Our results indicate that the geochemical components of the Holocene aeolian deposits and surface deposits had the similar material sources, sediment transport and deposition processes in the study region, which were dominated by SiO2, Al2O3, and Na2O. In the weathering process of the Jinjie (JJ) profile, the Na, K, and Si presented the slight leaching and migration in general, while the other elements were relatively accumulated. The Holocene aeolian deposits and surface deposits incurred weaker geochemical weathering under cold and dry conditions and were only weakly leached, which implies a relatively arid environment in the Holocene epoch and the modern era. The weathering degree was controlled by the regional temperature and precipitation, and was probably more sensitive to the precipitation changes. In the sedimentary profile, the geochemical parameters and migration of elements demonstrated that there have been several alternating warm-wet and cold-dry intervals in the Mu Us Desert in the Holocene epoch; there were relatively warm and wet conditions prior to 4.6 ka, and it has been cold and dry since then. Six millennial-scale dry events were recorded during the Holocene, which were not only accordant with the history of palaeoclimatic changes in the different latitudes and archives of the Northern Hemisphere, but also correspond to the millennial-scale variation of cosmic radiation and solar activity during that period. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dashui porphyry granitoids in the western Qinling Orogen are spatially associated with the Dashui gold deposit, but their ages and tectonic setting have not been well defined yet in previous studies. This paper reports the results and understandings obtained from our original study in geochronology and isotope and element geochemistry. SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating yielded ages of 213.7 ± 2.7 Ma for granitic stock and 215.1 ± 2.5 and 210.2 ± 1.6 Ma for granitic dikes. The granitoids are characterized by high LREE but low HREE and HFSE. They have (87Sr/86Sr) i ratios of 0.706 to 0.709 and εNd(t) values of −5.3 to −7.6. The majority of zircons in the Dashui granitoids have εHf(t) values ranging from −6.2 to 6.7 and TDM2(Hf) ages from 743 to 1464 Ma. The isotope signatures, together with La/Y and Mg# values, show that the magmas are mainly sourced from partial melting of a subducted slab, and possibly assimilated immature sediments during upward migration. Thus, the Dashui granitoids most likely formed in a volcanic arc where supra-subduction zone melts assimilated lower crustal material no later than 215 Ma. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]