Research Progress on the Application of Strontium Isotope Analysis Techniques in Geology: A Review

Strontium (Sr) isotopes have unique geochemical properties such as time dependence and environmental sensitivity. With the development of testing technology and theoretical system, Sr isotope has become a key technique in geoscience research. However, due to the abnormal interference of the Sr isotope ratio in the complex environment, it may be challenging to appropriately interpret some geological evolution processes using conventional test results based on thermoelectric ionization mass spectrometers (TIMS) or multicollector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometers (MC-ICP-MS). Based on the inherent properties and evolutionary characteristics of Sr isotope, this paper summarizes the sample preparation and testing methods in the process of Sr isotope analysis, and expounds the latest progress and understanding of Sr isotope in stratigraphy, petrology, ore deposit science and hydrogeology. It is pointed out that Sr isotope stratigraphy has formed a time series map containing the changes of Sr isotope in seawater from 509 million years to the present. When strontium isotope is employed as a stratigraphic index, it must be properly corrected and interpreted in accordance with a particular geological context because it is influenced by a variety of processes, including weathering and magmatic interference. In the field of petrology, the diagenetic processes of sedimentary rocks, the genesis of various rock types, changes in the paleoenvironment, and crustal tectonic activity are all typically distinguished using strontium isotopes. But the information provided by strontium isotopes is insufficient to precisely describe the creation of rocks because of the impact of weathering and metamorphism. Sr isotope is used in the field of ore deposit science to determine the source of ore-forming materials, the process of fluid evolution and the genetic type of ore deposit. However, at high temperatures, diffusion and mineral recombination can cause the rubidium-strontium isotope system to reset, which can interfere with determining the age of the material. The complicated groundwater system may make it challenging to interpret Sr isotope, which is used in hydrogeology to examine the origin of groundwater and the interaction between water and rock. Therefore, this paper makes the following recommendations for future research: to uncover the mechanism of strontium isotope fractionation at varying temperatures, to develop fine strontium isotope tracer technology to get around the limitations of current strontium isotope research, and to reconstruct the accurate history of the paleomarine strontium isotope ratio. It may offer backing for the advancement and utilization of strontium isotope theory.