In Situ Fe and S isotope analyses in pyrite from the 3.2 Ga Mendon Formation (Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa): Evidence for early microbial iron reduction
2IPGP - Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP, 1 rue Jussieu, 75238 Paris cedex 05 ; Université Paris Diderot, Bât. Lamarck A case postale 7011, 75205 Paris CEDEX 13 - France)
Abstract : On the basis of phylogenetic studies and laboratory cultures, it has been proposed that the ability of microbes to metabolize iron has emerged prior to the Archaea/ Bacteria split. However, no unambiguous geochemical data supporting this claim have been put forward in rocks older than 2.7-2.5 giga years (Gyr). In the present work, we report in situ Fe and S isotope composition of pyrite from 3.28-to 3.26-Gyr-old cherts from the upper Mendon Formation, South Africa. We identified three populations of microscopic pyrites showing a wide range of Fe isotope compositions, which cluster around two δ 56 Fe values of −1.8‰ and +1‰. These three pyrite groups can also be distinguished based on the pyrite crystallinity and the S isotope mass-independent signatures. One pyrite group displays poorly crystallized pyrite minerals with positive Δ 33 S values > +3‰, while the other groups display more variable and closer to 0‰ Δ 33 S values with recrystallized pyrite rims. It is worth to note that all the pyrite groups display positive Δ 33 S values in the pyrite core and similar trace element compositions.
https://hal.umontpellier.fr/hal-02510783 Contributeur : Gm AigleConnectez-vous pour contacter le contributeur Soumis le : mercredi 18 mars 2020 - 10:46:08 Dernière modification le : vendredi 5 août 2022 - 10:55:15
Johanna Marin-Carbonne, Vincent P Busigny, Jennyfer Miot, Claire Rollion-Bard, Elodie Muller, et al.. In Situ Fe and S isotope analyses in pyrite from the 3.2 Ga Mendon Formation (Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa): Evidence for early microbial iron reduction. Geobiology, Wiley, In press, ⟨10.1111/gbi.12385⟩. ⟨hal-02510783⟩