Abstract
Samples of red bed sediments in several Mesoproterozoic successions contain enrichments of tellurium (Te), including discrete telluride minerals. The tellurides were neoformed during redox-controlled diagenesis, rather than representing mechanical concentrations of heavy minerals. Tellurium is enriched relative to selenium, which may reflect erosion of Archean and Palaeoproterozoic rocks with high Te contents. High continentality during the Mesoproterozoic would have limited the delivery of Te and other trace elements to the oceans, so accumulated Te on the continents.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 145-150 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Precambrian Research |
Volume | 305 |
Early online date | 6 Dec 2017 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Feb 2018 |
Bibliographical note
AcknowledgementsThis work was supported by the NERC under Grant NE/L001764/1. We are grateful to Martin Bregman, Philip Fralick, and Phyllis Hargrave for provision of samples. David Fox and Monica leGras (CSIRO), John Still and Dave Bellis (University of Aberdeen) provided specialised technical assistance. We are grateful for three critical reviews that helped to improve the manuscript.
Keywords
- Tellurium
- Selenium
- Mesoproterozoic
- diagenesis
- red beds