Sedimentary pyrite: A window into the microbial past

Research Article| June 01, 2002 Sedimentary pyrite: A window into the microbial past Jürgen Schieber Jürgen Schieber 1Department of Geology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas 76019, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2002) 30 (6): 531–534. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2002)030<0531:SPAWIT>2.0.CO;2 Article history received: 04 Sep 2001 rev-recd: 27 Jan 2002 accepted: 01 Feb 2002 first online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Jürgen Schieber; Sedimentary pyrite: A window into the microbial past. Geology 2002;; 30 (6): 531–534. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2002)030<0531:SPAWIT>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Early diagenetic pyrite forms as a result of microbial processes in sediments, but has received little attention as a potential source of microbial fossils. Sedimentary pyrite grains, Archean to Jurassic in age, were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Ion milling was essential for the preparation of electron transparent TEM samples. Most pyrite grains revealed coccoid, rod-shaped, and even filamentous features that are interpreted as microbial. Identification of microbial remains in sedimentary pyrite may greatly expand our knowledge of microbial life in the sedimentary record. Combined with geochemical characterization, the study of pyritized microbes in the geologic record may in the future enable us to interpret changes in geochemical signatures more realistically in terms of different sulfate-reducing communities. Sedimentary pyrite grains may also represent a good prospect to further our knowledge of past life on Mars. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.