Multiple Generations of Carbon in the Apex Chert and Implications for Preservation of Microfossils

While the Apex chert is one of the most well-studied Archean deposits on Earth, its formation history is still not fully understood. Here, we present Raman spectroscopic data collected on the carbonaceous material (CM) present within the matrix of the Apex chert. These data, collected within a paragenetic framework, reveal two different phases of CM deposited within separate phases of quartz matrix. These multiple generations of CM illustrate the difficulty of searching for signs of life in these rocks and, by extension, in other Archean sequences. Key Words: Apex chert—Carbonaceous material—Raman microspectroscopy—Paragenetic analysis—Archean. Astrobiology 12, 160–166.