The preliminary results of a comprehensive study of clay minerals (<2 µm) are presented for the upper 2 m.y. of sediments from Ocean Drilling Program Leg 184 Site 1146 from the northern margin of the South China Sea, close to the Pearl River mouth. More than 500 samples were analyzed, and four main mineral species are present: smectite, illite, chlorite, and kaolinite. On a general basis, illite + chlorite and smectite display anti-correlated behavior in relation to changes in the proportion of primary to secondary minerals in the sediment. Low-frequency and high-frequency changes are observed in the smectite/(illite + chlorite) ratio.

Sediment depth is given in mcd. Smectite content combines smectite and illite-smectite mixed-layer minerals.

Supplement to: Trentesaux, Alain; Liu, Zhifei; Colin, Christophe; Boulay, Sebastien; Wang, Pinxian (2003): Data report: Pleistocene paleoclimatic cyclicity of southern China: clay mineral evidence recorded in the South China Sea (ODP Site 1146). In: Prell, WL; Wang, P; Blum, P; Rea, DK; Clemens, SC (eds.) Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results, College Station, TX (Ocean Drilling Program), 184, 1-10