Geochemical characteristics of fossil Solenites murrayana cuticles from the Jurassic in Lanzhou, northwest China

Through geochemical analysis on cuticles of the Jurassic fossil Solenites murrayuna L. et H. from the Yaojie Coalfield in Lanzhou, northwest China, and by comparison of geochemical features with its nearest living equivalent, Ginkgo biloba, we show that the characteristics of organic matter of the fossil plant cuticles accord with evolutionary features of asphalt in oil formation. The content analysis of organic matter indicates that the geochemistry is equivalent to rotten mud-sapropel humus types from Mesozoic and Cenozoic source rock in China. Some analysis data of organic matter indicate that Solenites murrayana cuticles are in a low mature stage, which coincides with the hydrocarbon generation model of cutinite in coal. Moreover, distribution features of soluble organic matter of cuticles show that fossil plant cuticles have a definite action in forming terrestrial high-wax oil, which has testified the contribution of high plants to waxness. The present study proves that Ginkgophytes abundant in the Jurassic were a high potential plant in the formation of coal-bed hydrocarbon.