Depositional environment and mechanism of preservation of microfossils, upper Proterozoic Bitter Springs Formation, Australia

Research Article| August 01, 1986 Depositional environment and mechanism of preservation of microfossils, upper Proterozoic Bitter Springs Formation, Australia Peter N. Southgate Peter N. Southgate 1Baas Becking Geobiological Laboratory, P.O. Box 378, Canberra, A.C.T. 2601, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Peter N. Southgate 1Baas Becking Geobiological Laboratory, P.O. Box 378, Canberra, A.C.T. 2601, Australia Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1986) 14 (8): 683–686. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1986)142.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Peter N. Southgate; Depositional environment and mechanism of preservation of microfossils, upper Proterozoic Bitter Springs Formation, Australia. Geology 1986;; 14 (8): 683–686. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1986)142.0.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 Microfossils preserved in black chert nodules from the upper Proterozoic Bitter Springs Formation of Australia represent the preserved remnants of cyanobacterial communities that inhabited a series of nonmarine saline lakes and ponds. Groundwaters of halite salinity "pickled" the microorganisms and thus inhibited their early bacterial degradation. These same groundwaters were saturated in silica so that upon evaporation the silica and halite precipitated and formed a series of chert concretions, nodules, and bipyramidal quartz crystals. Where the chert nodules formed in areas of buried cyanobacterial mats, further degradation of the buried sheaths and cells was arrested and the microorganisms were preserved. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.