Title: Composition and Microfacies of Archean Microbial Mats (Moodies Group, ca. 3.22 Ga, South Africa)
Abstract: The Middle Archean Moodies Group (ca. 3.22 Ga), Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa, exposes one of the world's oldest ecosystems. It includes kerogen-rich laminae and thin chert bands interbedded with coarse-grained and gravelly sandstones. The strata record a medium-energy, tidal coastal environment. Analyses of the microscopic structure and chemical composition of the chert bands through petrographic microscopy, Raman microspectroscopy, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) analyses, C isotopes, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) photography of macerated material, supported by textural observations of hand samples, suggest that these laminae represent variably compressed and early-silicified microbial mats.
Publication Year: 2012
Publication Date: 2012-01-01
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 23
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