Geoscience Canada

Vol. 50 No. 4 (2023)
GAC Medallist Series

Logan Medallist 8. Trace Elements in Iron Formation as a Window into Biogeochemical Evolution Accompanying the Oxygenation of Earth’s Atmosphere

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  • Kurt O. Konhauser,
  • Andreas Kappler,
  • Stefan V. Lalonde,
  • Leslie J. Robbins
Kurt O. Konhauser
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3
Andreas Kappler
Geomicrobiology, Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, 72076
Stefan V. Lalonde
European Institute for Marine Studies, CNRS-UMR6538, Laboratoire Domaines Océaniques, Technopôle Brest-Iroise, Plouzané, 29280
Leslie J. Robbins
Department of Geology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 0A2
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12789/geocanj.2023.50.201

Published 2023-12-18

Keywords

  • Cyanobacteria,
  • Earth's Oxygenation,
  • Geobiology,
  • Iron Formation

How to Cite

Konhauser, K. O., Kappler, A., Lalonde, S. V., & Robbins, L. J. (2023). Logan Medallist 8. Trace Elements in Iron Formation as a Window into Biogeochemical Evolution Accompanying the Oxygenation of Earth’s Atmosphere. Geoscience Canada, 50(4), 239–258. https://doi.org/10.12789/geocanj.2023.50.201
Copyright Notice

Abstract

Iron formations exemplify a type of sedimentary rock found in numerous Archean and Proterozoic supracrustal successions. They serve as a valuable chemical record of Precambrian seawater chemistry and post-depositional iron cycling. These formations accumulated on the seafloor for over two billion years during the early history of our planet, offering a unique opportunity to study environmental changes that occurred during Earth's evolution. Among these changes, one of the most significant events was the shift from an anoxic planet to one where oxygen (O2) became consistently present in both the marine water column and atmosphere. This progression towards global oxygenation was closely linked to the emergence of aerobic microbial metabolisms, which profoundly impacted continental weathering processes, nutrient supply to the oceans, and ultimately, the diversification of the biosphere and complex life forms. In this review, we synthesize two decades of research into the temporal fluctuations of trace element concentrations in iron formations. Our aim is to shed light on the complex mechanisms that contributed to the oxygenation of Earth's surface environments.

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