A novel method to assess the effect of diagenesis on fossil teeth: Rare earth element signatures

An attempt was made to test the validity of the signatures of rare earth elements (REE) as a tool to judge the effect of diagenesis on fossil teeth. Sample REE contents and features of fossil teeth and sediments from Jinsha Relics, Sichuan, Southwest China were analyzed. The difference in REE content between fossil teeth is significantly greater than that between sediments at the Jinsha Relics. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns showed that obvious LREE enrichment and strong Ce and HREE depletion occurred in all fossil teeth samples. Meanwhile δCe and δEu values varied more dramatically in fossil teeth than in sediments. Accordingly, low content, LREE enrichment, strong Ce depletion, the significantly positive correlation between LREE/HREE and δCe, and unchanged (La/Yb)N demonstrated that the fossil teeth from Jinsha Relics have not been contaminated by diagenesis. The REE signature might be a potential proxy to assess the effect of diagenesis on fossil teeth.