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Role of Microorganisms in Banded Iron Formations

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Geomicrobiology: Molecular and Environmental Perspective

Abstract

Banded iron formations (BIF) represent the largest source of iron in the world. They formed throughout the Precambrian, and today are globally distributed on the remnants of the ancient cratons. The first BIF dates back to at least 3.9–3.8 billion years. Little is known about this early period in earth’s history, in particular about the presence of molecular oxygen, O2, and therefore also about the deposition mechanisms of BIF at that time.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by research grants from the German Research Foundation (DFG) made to AK (KA 1736/2-1, 2-2, 4-1, and 12-1), funding from the DFG and the University of Tuebingen to IK, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada to KK. We would also like to thank Nicole Posth and Merle Eickhoff for helpful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Sigwartstrasse 10, D-72076, Tübingen, Germany

    Inga Koehler & Andreas Kappler

  2. Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3, Canada

    Kurt Konhauser

Authors
  1. Inga Koehler
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  2. Kurt Konhauser
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  3. Andreas Kappler
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Correspondence to Kurt Konhauser .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Biology, University of New Mexico, Castetter Hall 167, Albuquerque, 87131-0001, USA

    Larry L. Barton

  2. , Faculty of Science, Dept. of Biochmistry, Masaryk University, Kortlarska 2, Brno, 611 37, Czech Republic

    Martin Mandl

  3. , Department of Microbial Ecology, Fac. of, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, Vienna, A-1090, Austria

    Alexander Loy

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Koehler, I., Konhauser, K., Kappler, A. (2010). Role of Microorganisms in Banded Iron Formations. In: Barton, L., Mandl, M., Loy, A. (eds) Geomicrobiology: Molecular and Environmental Perspective. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9204-5_14

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