Lower Cambrian black shales are widely distributed in the Tarim Basin, but those in the Keping area in the west have a high total organic carbon (TOC) content different from those in the Kuluketage area in the northeast of the basin. The Cambrian Yuertusi Formation in the Shiairike section (Keping) and the Xishanbulake Formation in the Yaerdangshan section (Kuluketage) are time-equivalent and can be correlated. Black shales of the Yuertusi Formation have lower δ¹³C_Ker values (<−34‰) than the Xishanbulake Formations (δ¹³C_Ker values > − 4‰). These values suggest that black shales in the Yuertusi Formation were dominated by benthic algae, whereas rocks in the Xishanbulake Formation contain substantial amounts of planktonic algae. Analyses of trace elements demonstrate an anoxic depositional environment, with high productivity in both the Yuertusi and Xishanbulake Formations. The enhanced productivity was promoted by upwelling fluids and hydrothermal events, leading to the enrichment of nutrient elements such as barium, cadmium, copper, phosphorus, nickel, vanadium, and zinc. More terrigenous inorganic detritus input to the Xishanbulake Formation, which led to less amounts of organic matter and degradation of planktonic algae during sedimentation, resulted in a lower TOC content than the Yuertusi Formation.

下寒武统黑色页岩广泛分布在塔里木盆地，但西部科坪地区的页岩总有机碳（TOC）含量却与盆地东北部的库鲁克塔格地区不同。Shiairike断层（Keping）的寒武系尤尔图斯组和Yaerdangshan断层（Kuluketage）的Xishanbulake组是时间等价的并且可以关联。所述Yuertusi形成的黑色页岩具有较低的δ ¹³ Ç _ker的值（<-34‰）比地层西山布拉克（δ ¹³ C ^ _ker的值>-4‰）。这些值表明，于尔图斯组的黑色页岩以底栖藻类为主，而西山布鲁克克组的岩石中含有大量的浮游藻类。微量元素分析显示了缺氧沉积环境，在于尔图斯组和西山布鲁克湖组均具有高产。上升的流体和水热事件促进了生产力的提高，导致营养元素如钡，镉，铜，磷，镍，钒和锌的富集。更多的陆源无机碎屑输入到西山布拉克组，这导致沉积过程中有机质的减少和浮游藻类的降解，导致总有机碳含量低于雨儿图斯组。