Precipitation of Mn Oxides in Quaternary microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISS), Cape Vani Paleo-Hydrothermal Vent Field, Milos, Greece

Kilias, Stephanos P.; Ivarsson, Magnus; Chi Fru, Ernest Chi; Rattray, Jayne E.; Gustafsson, Håkan; Naden, Jonathan; Detsi, Kleopatra. 2020 Precipitation of Mn Oxides in Quaternary microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISS), Cape Vani Paleo-Hydrothermal Vent Field, Milos, Greece. Minerals, 10 (6), 536. https://doi.org/10.3390/min10060536

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/min10060536

Abstract/Summary

Understanding microbial mediation in sediment-hosted Mn deposition has gained importance in low-temperature ore genesis research. Here we report Mn oxide ores dominated by todorokite, vernadite, hollandite, and manjiroite, which cement Quaternary microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISS) developed along bedding planes of shallow-marine to tidal-flat volcaniclastic sandstones/sandy tuffs, Cape Vani paleo-hydrothermal vent field, Milos, Greece. This work aims to decipher the link between biological Mn oxide formation, low-T hydrothermalism, and, growth and preservation of Mn-bearing MISS (MnMISS). Geobiological processes, identified by microtexture petrography, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, lipid biomarkers, bulk- and lipid-specific δ13Corganic composition, and field data, and, low-temperature hydrothermal venting of aqueous Mn2+ in sunlit shallow waters, cooperatively enabled microbially-mediated Mn (II) oxidation and biomineralization. The MnMISS biomarker content and δ13Corg signatures strongly resemble those of modern Mn-rich hydrothermal sediments, Milos coast. Biogenic and syngenetic Mn oxide precipitation established by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and petrography, combined with hydrothermal fluid flow-induced pre-burial curing/diagenesis, may account for today’s crystalline Mn oxide resource. Our data suggests that MISS are not unique to cyanobacteria mats. Furthermore, microbial mats inhabited by aerobic methanotrophs may have contributed significantly to the formation of the MnMISS, thus widening the spectrum of environments responsible for marine Mn biometallogenesis

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.3390/min10060536
ISSN:	2075-163X
Date made live:	28 Sep 2020 10:44 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/528550

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.3390/min10060536

ISSN:

2075-163X

Date made live:

28 Sep 2020 10:44 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/528550