PreprintArticleVersion 1This version is not peer-reviewed
Application of Multiple geophysical Exploration Methods in the Exploration of Marine Sand Resources in the Northern Offshore Waters of the South China Sea
Version 1
: Received: 28 June 2024 / Approved: 1 July 2024 / Online: 1 July 2024 (07:40:56 CEST)
How to cite:
Yu, G.; Hu, X.; Fang, J.; Yang, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Lin, J.; Liu, J.; Qian, L. Application of Multiple geophysical Exploration Methods in the Exploration of Marine Sand Resources in the Northern Offshore Waters of the South China Sea. Preprints2024, 2024070034. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.0034.v1
Yu, G.; Hu, X.; Fang, J.; Yang, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Lin, J.; Liu, J.; Qian, L. Application of Multiple geophysical Exploration Methods in the Exploration of Marine Sand Resources in the Northern Offshore Waters of the South China Sea. Preprints 2024, 2024070034. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.0034.v1
Yu, G.; Hu, X.; Fang, J.; Yang, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Lin, J.; Liu, J.; Qian, L. Application of Multiple geophysical Exploration Methods in the Exploration of Marine Sand Resources in the Northern Offshore Waters of the South China Sea. Preprints2024, 2024070034. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.0034.v1
APA Style
Yu, G., Hu, X., Fang, J., Yang, Y., Zhang, Y., Lin, J., Liu, J., & Qian, L. (2024). Application of Multiple geophysical Exploration Methods in the Exploration of Marine Sand Resources in the Northern Offshore Waters of the South China Sea. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.0034.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Yu, G., Jingyi Liu and Libing Qian. 2024 "Application of Multiple geophysical Exploration Methods in the Exploration of Marine Sand Resources in the Northern Offshore Waters of the South China Sea" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.0034.v1
Abstract
Marine sand, in addition to oil and gas resources, is the second largest marine mineral resource. The rational development and utilization of marine sand resources are conducive to the growth of the marine economy. Marine sand can be categorized into surface marine sand and buried marine sand. Buried marine sand deposits are buried beneath the sea floor, making it challenging to locate them due to their thin distribution. Consequently, there exist numerous technical difficulties associated with marine sand exploration. In this study, various geophysical methods such as sub-bottom profile survey and single-channel seismic survey were employed in the northern offshore waters of the South China Sea along with offshore engineering geological drilling. As a result, two distinct marine sand bodies were delineated within the study area. Additionally, five reflective interfaces (R0, R1, R2, R3 and R4) were identified from top to bottom. These interfaces can be divided into five seismic sequences: A2, B2, C2, D2 and E2 respectively. Three sets of strata were recognized: the Quaternary Holocene Marine sedimentary layer (Q4m), the Upper Pleistocene alluvial layer, and the diluvial sedimentary layer (Q3al+pl) as well as the Upper Pleistocene Marine sedimentary layer (Q3m). Sequence A2 and B2 corresponded to Quaternary Holocene Formation (Q4m) within the study area while sequence C2 corresponded to B2 as well as upper Pleistocene alluvial and alluvial deposits (Q3al+pl), which represent one of the main occurring layers of sand in this region. Lastly, E2 represents a layer composed mainly of silty clay and round gravel known as upper Pleistocene marine sediment layer (Q3m). In total, two ore bodies containing marine sand have been discovered during this study. The estimated total resource amounts approximately 46 million m³ with an average thickness around 11 meters.
Keywords
Marine sand; Sub-bottom profile survey; Single-channel seismic survey; South China Sea
Subject
Environmental and Earth Sciences, Oceanography
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
