Hydrologic Alteration and Enhanced Microbial Reductive Dissolution of Fe(III) (hydr)oxides Under Flow Conditions in Fe(III)-Rich Rocks: Contribution to Cave-Forming Processes

Previous work demonstrated that microbial Fe(III)-reduction contributes to void formation, and potentially cave formation within Fe(III)-rich rocks, such as banded iron formation (BIF), iron ore and canga (a surficial duricrust), based on field observations and static batch cultures. Microbiological Fe(III) reduction is often limited when biogenic Fe(II) passivates further Fe(III) reduction, although subsurface groundwater flow and the export of biogenic Fe(II) could alleviate this passivation process, and thus accelerate cave formation. Given that static batch cultures are unlikely to reflect the dynamics of groundwater flow conditions in situ, we carried out comparative batch and column experiments to extend our understanding of the mass transport of iron and other solutes under flow conditions, and its effect on community structure dynamics and Fe(III)-reduction. A solution with chemistry approximating cave-associated porewater was amended with 5.0 mM lactate as a carbon source and added to columns packed with canga and inoculated with an assemblage of microorganisms associated with the interior of cave walls. Under anaerobic conditions, microbial Fe(III) reduction was enhanced in flow-through column incubations, compared to static batch incubations. During incubation, the microbial community profile in both batch culture and columns shifted from a Proteobacterial dominance to the Firmicutes, including Clostridiaceae, Peptococcaceae, and Veillonellaceae, the latter of which has not previously been shown to reduce Fe(III). The bacterial Fe(III) reduction altered the advective properties of canga-packed columns and enhanced permeability. Our results demonstrate that removing inhibitory Fe(II) via mimicking hydrologic flow of groundwater increases reduction rates and overall Fe-oxide dissolution, which in turn alters the hydrology of the Fe(III)-rich rocks. Our results also suggest that reductive weathering of Fe(III)-rich rocks such as canga, BIF, and iron ores may be more substantial than previously understood.

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Mineral chemistry, P-T pseudosection and in-situ U-Th-Pbtotal monazite geochronology of Banded Iron Formation from Bundelkhand craton North-Central India, and its geodynamic significance

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-9812 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mohd Baqar Raza ◽

Pritam Nasipuri ◽

Hifzurrahman

Keyword(s):

Central India ◽

Mineral Chemistry ◽

Iron Formation ◽

Age Group ◽

Banded Iron Formation ◽

Tectonic Zone ◽

Third Age ◽

The Third ◽

Hydrothermal Activities

The Banded Iron Formation (BIF) in Bundelkhand craton (BuC) occurred as supracrustals associated with TTG&#8217;s, amphibolites, calcsilicate rocks, and quartzite within the east-west trending Bundelkhand tectonic zone (BTZ). The BIFs near Mauranipur do not show any prominent iron-rich and silica-rich layer band and are composed of garnet, amphibole, quartz, and magnetite. The volumetrically dominant monoclinic-amphiboles are grunerite in composition. XMg of grunerite varies between 0.39-0.37. The garnets are Mn-rich, the XSpss of garnet ranges from 0.26-0.20, XPyp and XGrs vary between 0.10-0.06 and 0.07-0.05, respectively. P-T pseudosection analysis indicates that by destabilizing iron-silicate hydroxide phases through a series of dehydration and decarbonation reactions, amphibole and garnet stabilized in BIF at temperature 400-450&#176;C and pressure 0.1-0.2 GPa.Massive type BIFs have monazite grains that vary from 10 to 50 &#181;m in size, yield three distinct U-Th-Pbtotal age clusters. 10-20 &#181;m sized monazite grains yield the oldest age, 3098&#177;95 Ma. 2478&#177;37 Ma average age is obtained from the second group, which is relatively larger and volumetrically predominant. The third age group of Monaiztes gives an age of 2088&#177;110 Ma. ~3100 Ma monazite suggests the older supracrustal rocks of Bundelkhand craton, similar to those obtained from Singhbhum and the Dharwar craton. The 2478&#177;37 Ma age is constrained as the timing of metamorphism and stabilization of BuC. The third age group, 2088&#177;110 Ma probably associated with renewed hydrothermal activities, leading to rifting and emplacement of mafic dykes in BuC.

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Persistence of rare species depends on rare events: demography, fire response and phenology of two plant species endemic to a semiarid Banded Iron Formation range

Australian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1071/bt18214 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 67 (3) ◽

pp. 268 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Ben P. Miller ◽

David R. Symons ◽

Matthew D. Barrett

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Rare Events ◽

Arid Zone ◽

Iron Formation ◽

Western Boundary ◽

Banded Iron Formation ◽

High Rainfall ◽

Slow Growing ◽

Structure Patterns

The association of rare plant species and Banded Iron Formation (BIF) ranges in semiarid Western Australia is a noted phenomenon. These ranges are also a focus of iron ore exploration and mining. Decisions and planning required for development, conservation and management resulting from this interest, often consider translocation of these threatened species. Nonetheless, little is known about the ecology of BIF-endemic species to support any such decisions. We assessed population structure, patterns of growth, mortality, recruitment, reproduction and in situ seedbank persistence for two declared rare flora species. The shrub Darwinia masonii, and sedge Lepidosperma gibsonii are endemic to an area <40 km2 on the south-western boundary of the Australian arid zone. Both species were found to be long lived and slow growing, with evidence for reliance on rare events such as fire, and high rainfall years, including, for some processes, consecutive high rainfall years for growth, reproduction and recruitment. Retrieval and germination of seed batches shows that both species’ seedbanks are long-lived, with seasonal dormancy cycling. This, together with the ability of mature plants to survive through years not supporting growth, and, for L. gibsonii, to resprout after fire, are key mechanism for persistence in this unpredictable and low rainfall environment.

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Using In Situ Monazite and Xenotime U-Pb Geochronology to Resolve the Fate of the “Missing” Banded Iron Formation-Hosted High-Grade Hematite Ores of the North China Craton

Economic Geology ◽

10.5382/econgeo.4699 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 115 (1) ◽

pp. 189-204

Author(s):

Li-Xing Li ◽

Jian-Wei Zi ◽

Jie Meng ◽

Hou-Min Li ◽

Birger Rasmussen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

North China Craton ◽

North China ◽

Greenschist Facies ◽

Iron Formation ◽

High Grade ◽

Banded Iron Formations ◽

Banded Iron Formation ◽

The North ◽

Proposed Model

Abstract High-grade hematite mineralization is widely developed in banded iron formations (BIFs) worldwide. However, in the North China craton where Neoarchean-Paleoproterozoic BIFs are abundant, economic high-grade hematite ores are scarce. High-grade hematite ores hosted in the Paleoproterozoic Yuanjiacun BIFs represent the largest occurrence of this type of ore in the North China craton. The orebodies are fault controlled and show sharp contacts with lower greenschist facies metamorphic BIFs. In situ U-Pb geochronology of monazite and xenotime intergrown with microplaty hematite and martite in high-grade ore established two episodes of metamorphic-hydrothermal monazite/xenotime growth after deposition of the BIFs. The earlier episode at ca. 1.94 Ga is interpreted as the timing of lower greenschist-facies metamorphism, and the later episode at 1.41 to 1.34 Ga represents the timing of high-grade hematite mineralization. Petrography and microthermometry of primary fluid inclusion assemblages indicate that the high-grade hematite ore formed from hot (313°–370°C), CO2-rich, and highly saline (~20 wt % NaCl equiv) hydrothermal fluids. These fluids channeled along faults, which concentrated iron through interaction with the BIFs—a process similar to typical hematite mineralization elsewhere. The deposition of hematite was probably related to tectonic extension in the North China craton related to the breakup of the Columbia/Nuna supercontinent. Our results challenge a previously proposed model ascribing the scarcity of high-grade hematite ores in the North China craton to the lack of prolonged weathering conditions. Rather, we argue that the high-grade ore formed in lower metamorphic-grade BIFs at shallower depths than magnetite mineralization and was largely eroded during later exhumation and uplift of the craton.

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Phase relations and in-situ U-Th-Pbtotal monazite geochronology of Banded Iron Formation, Bundelkhand Craton, North-Central India, and their geodynamic implications

International Journal of Earth Sciences ◽

10.1007/s00531-021-02115-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mohd Baqar Raza ◽

Hifzurrahman ◽

Pritam Nasipuri ◽

Lopamudra Saha ◽

Jayanta Kumar Pati ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Central India ◽

Phase Relations ◽

Iron Formation ◽

Banded Iron Formation ◽

North Central

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IN SITU DETERMINATION OF THE FATE AND FLUX OF NITRATE IN GROUNDWATER AS IT DISCHARGES THROUGH THE SURFACE SEDIMENTS INTO A GROUNDWATER FLOW-THROUGH LAKE ON WESTERN CAPE COD, MA

10.1130/abs/2016am-284551 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Sung Pil Hyun ◽

◽

Richard L. Smith ◽

Deborah A. Repert ◽

Douglas B. Kent ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Groundwater Flow ◽

Surface Sediments ◽

Cape Cod ◽

Western Cape ◽

Flow Through

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Earth’s Middle Ages: What Came after the GOE

10.23943/princeton/9780691145020.003.0009 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Donald Eugene Canfield

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Organic Carbon ◽

Middle Ages ◽

Atmospheric Oxygen ◽

Iron Formation ◽

Banded Iron Formation ◽

Dissolved Iron ◽

Great Oxidation Event ◽

Low Levels ◽

Substantial Rise

This chapter considers the aftermath of the great oxidation event (GOE). It suggests that there was a substantial rise in oxygen defining the GOE, which may, in turn have led to the Lomagundi isotope excursion, which was associated with high rates of organic matter burial and perhaps even higher concentrations of oxygen. This excursion was soon followed by a crash in oxygen to very low levels and a return to banded iron formation deposition. When the massive amounts of organic carbon buried during the excursion were brought into the weathering environment, they would have represented a huge oxygen sink, drawing down levels of atmospheric oxygen. There appeared to be a veritable seesaw in oxygen concentrations, apparently triggered initially by the GOE. The GOE did not produce enough oxygen to oxygenate the oceans. Dissolved iron was removed from the oceans not by reaction with oxygen but rather by reaction with sulfide. Thus, the deep oceans remained anoxic and became rich in sulfide, instead of becoming well oxygenated.

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A new volcanic province: evidence from glacial erratics in western North Greenland

Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin ◽

10.34194/ggub.v186.5213 ◽

2000 ◽

pp. 35-41 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Peter R. Dawes ◽

Bjørn Thomassen ◽

T.I. Hauge Andersson

Keyword(s):

Volcanic Rocks ◽

Iron Formation ◽

Banded Iron Formation ◽

Common Component ◽

Volcanic Province ◽

North West ◽

North East ◽

The North ◽

Surficial Deposits ◽

North Greenland

NOTE: This article was published in a former series of GEUS Bulletin. Please use the original series name when citing this article, for example: Dawes, P. R., Thomassen, B., & Andersson, T. H. (2000). A new volcanic province: evidence from glacial erratics in western North Greenland. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin, 186, 35-41. https://doi.org/10.34194/ggub.v186.5213 _______________ Mapping and regional geological studies in northern Greenland were carried out during the project Kane Basin 1999 (see Dawes et al. 2000, this volume). During ore geological studies in Washington Land by one of us (B.T.), finds of erratics of banded iron formation (BIF) directed special attention to the till, glaciofluvial and fluvial sediments. This led to the discovery that in certain parts of Daugaard-Jensen Land and Washington Land volcanic rocks form a common component of the surficial deposits, with particularly colourful, red porphyries catching the eye. The presence of BIF is interesting but not altogether unexpected since BIF erratics have been reported from southern Hall Land just to the north-east (Kelly & Bennike 1992) and such rocks crop out in the Precambrian shield of North-West Greenland to the south (Fig. 1; Dawes 1991). On the other hand, the presence of volcanic erratics was unexpected and stimulated the work reported on here.

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