Abstract
The episode of widespread organic carbon deposition marked by a peak in black shale sedimentation during the Palaeoproterozoic is also reflected in a relative abundance of exceptionally abundant graphite deposits of this age. Worldwide anoxic/euxinic sediments were preserved as a deep crustal reservoir of both organic carbon, and sulphur in accompanying pyrite, both commonly >1 wt.%. The carbon- and sulphur-rich Palaeoproterozoic crust interacted with mafic magma to cause Ni-Co-Cu-PGE mineralization over the next billion years, and much of the uranium currently produced is from Mesoproterozoic deposits nucleated upon older Palaeoproterozoic graphite. Palaeoproterozoic carbon deposition has thus left a unique legacy of both graphite deposits and long-term ore depositions.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1711-1718 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Geological Magazine |
Volume | 158 |
Issue number | 9 |
Early online date | 13 Jul 2021 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Sept 2021 |
Bibliographical note
AcknowledgementsThis project is in support of the NERC SoS (Security of Supply of Critical Elements) programme, under Grant NE/M010953/1. C. Taylor, J. Johnston and J. Bowie provided skilled technical help. We are most grateful to H. Gautneb and E. Lynch for valuable review.
Keywords
- Precambrian
- Proterozoic
- graphite
- mineralization
- carbon isotopes