Prospects of Sediment Provenance Analysis

Provenance analysis is important for sedimentary basin analysis and also the essential evidence for the evolution and ancient environment of a basin.After a general review of the provenance study,the paper introduces,in particular,the application and development of heavy mineral,sediments geochemistry and isotope technology.It suggests that various methods should be combined to explain provenance and that tectonic setting and chemical weathering should not be neglected.It also points out that some geological questions are not unanswered.