V. Pavlov and Y. Gallet. Episodes 2005;28:78-84. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2005/v28i2/001

An integrated, high-resolution chemostratigraphic (C, O and Sr isotopes) and magnetostratigraphic study through the upper Middle Cambrian–lowermost Ordovician shallow-marine carbonates of the northwestern margin of the Siberian Platform is reported. The interval was analysed at the Kulyumbe section, which is exposed along the Kulyumbe River, an eastern tributary of the Enisej River. It comprises the upper Ust'-Brus, Labaz, Orakta, Kulyumbe, Ujgur and lower Iltyk formations and includes the Steptoean positive carbon isotopic excursion (SPICE) studied here in detail from upper Cambrian carbonates of the Siberian Platform for the first time. The peak of the excursion, showing δ¹³C positive values as high as +4.6‰ and least-altered⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of 0.70909, is reported herein from the Yurakhian Horizon of the Kulyumbe Formation. The stratigraphic position of the SPICE excursion does not support traditional correlation of the boundary between the Orakta and Labaz formations at the Kulyumbe River with its supposedly equivalent level in Australia, Laurentia, South China and Kazakhstan, where theGlyptagnostus stolidotusandG. reticulatusbiozones are known to immediately precede the SPICE excursion and span the Middle–Upper Cambrian boundary. The Cambrian–Ordovician boundary is probably situated in the middle Nyajan Horizon of the Iltyk Formation, in which carbon isotope values show a local maximum below a decrease in the upper part of the Nyajan Horizon, attributed herein to the Tremadocian Stage. A refined magnetic polarity sequence confirms that the geomagnetic reversal frequency was very high during Middle Cambrian times at 7–10 reversals per Ma, assuming a total duration of about 10 Ma and up to 100 magnetic intervals in the Middle Cambrian. By contrast, the sequence attributed herein to the Upper Cambrian on chemostratigraphic grounds contains only 10–11 magnetic intervals.

A high-resolution carbon isotope profile through the uppermost Neoproterozoic–Lower Cambrian part of the Sukharikha section at the northwestern margin of the Siberian platform shows prominent secular oscillations of δ¹³C with peak-to-peak range of 6–10 ‰. There are six minima, 1n–6n, and seven maxima 1p–7p, in the Sukharikha Formation and a rising trend of δ¹³C from the minimum 1n of − 8.6 ‰ to maximum 6p of + 6.4 ‰. The trough 1n probably coincides with the isotopic minimum at the Precambrian–Cambrian boundary worldwide. Highly positive δ¹³C values of peaks 5p and 6p are typical of the upper portion of the Precambrian–Cambrian transitional beds just beneath the Tommotian Stage in Siberia. A second rising trend of δ¹³C is observed through the Krasnoporog and lower Shumny formations. It consists of four excursions with four major maxima that can be correlated with Tommotian–Botomian peaks II, IV, V, and VII of the reference profile from the southeastern Siberian platform. According to the chemostratigraphic correlation, the first appearances of the index forms of archaeocyaths are earlier in the Sukharikha section than in the Lena–Aldan region.