New evidence for organic nature of carbonaceous substance in Archean banded iron fomation of the Kostomuksha greenstone belt, Karelian Craton, Russia

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Abstract

The paper considers the results of a study of particles of carbonaceous substance and sulfur isotopes of associated sulfides in metapelites of the Neoarchean banded iron formation (BIF) of the Kostomuksha greenstone belt of Karelia (Karelian Craton of the Fennoscandian Shield). According to the petrographic observations, the carbonaceous matter occurs within and between silicate minerals’ grains, inside sulfides or at the grain boundaries, separating sulfide crystals from biotite or amphibole. Scanning electron (SEM) and atomic force (AFM) microscopy revealed the several types of the carbonaceous material varying in structure and carbon content. Raman spectra approved both well-structured graphite and weakly structured graphite (kerogen) components of the carbonaceous substance. The isotopic composition of total organic carbon is typical for biogenic processes. The obtained δ13Corg value within the range of –27,9– –30,6‰ is consistent with carbon fixation by photo- or chemoautotrophs. The sulfur isotopy of the associated sulfides is marked by positive Δ33S anomaly (up to +0.94‰) and negative δ34S values (–2.06‰ ─ –4.1‰). Positive Δ33S values indicate sulfur genetic association with photochemical elemental sulfur (S8) from the atmosphere, while negative δ34S values reflect isotope fractionation in bacterial-mediated processes. Based on these observations, we believe that the initial carbonaceous substance has mainly organic origin.

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About the authors

S. V. Vysotskiy

Far East Geological Institute, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Author for correspondence.
Email: dannaukiozemle@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, Vladivostok

A. I. Khanchuk

Far East Geological Institute, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: dannaukiozemle@yandex.ru

Academician of the RAS

Russian Federation, Vladivostok

T. A. Velivetskaya

Far East Geological Institute, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: dannaukiozemle@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, Vladivostok

A. V. Ignat’ev

Far East Geological Institute, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: dannaukiozemle@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, Vladivostok

A. V. Aseeva

Far East Geological Institute, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: dannaukiozemle@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, Vladivostok

N. S. Nesterova

Far East Geological Institute, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: dannaukiozemle@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, Vladivostok

A. A. Karpenko

A. V. Zhirmunskiy National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: dannaukiozemle@yandex.ru

Институт Биологии Моря 

Russian Federation, Vladivostok

A. V. Ruslan

Far East Geological Institute, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: dannaukiozemle@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, Vladivostok

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2. Fig. 1. Scheme of the geological structure of the Kostomuksha greenstone belt and its position in the structure of the Fennoscandian Shield (after [8], with modifications). 1 - Caledonides, Baikalides and Neoproterozoic formations; 2 - Paleoproterozoic crust; 3 - Archean crust; 4 - Neoproterozoic (Riphean) lamproites and kimberlites; 5 - Paleoproterozoic (2.4 Ga) dolerites; 6 - Neoarchean (2.72–2.71 Ga) granites; 7 - Neoarchean 2.78 Ga granitoids of the TTG association; 8–2.75 Ga metagraywackes with BIF (Kostomuksha and Surlampinskaya suites of the Gimol series); 9–2.75 Ga sills and dikes of metarhyolites (Kostomuksha Formation); 10 – Mesoarchean (2.84–2.78 Ga) basalts and basalt-komatiites (Ruvinvaara Formation); 11 – Mesoarchean tuffs, tuffites, rhyolite-rhyodacites with interstices of BIF and carbonaceous shales (Šurlovar Formation); 12 – Mesoarchean basalts and komatiites (Niemijärvi Formation); 13–15 – faults: 13 – observed, 14 – inferred, 15 – thrusts; 16 – location of the Kostomuksha greenstone belt.

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3. Fig. 2. Carbon-bearing substance (CM) in metapelites of the Neoarchean banded iron formation (BIF) of the Kostomuksha greenstone belt. a – a photo of a polished section of quartz-biotite schist in reflected electrons (SEM) and the position of CM (black areas) in the rock structure. According to electron microscopy (SEM), the carbonaceous substance forms crystalline forms (b), thin films (c), massive and layered packets (d). According to atomic force microscopy, massive packets are characterized by a denser packing of nanoparticles compared to layered ones (d). The Raman spectrum showed the presence of two types of graphite – with a poorly ordered structure (e) and crystalline (g). Mineral designations: Ap – apatite, C – graphite, Bt – biotite, Q – quartz, Po – pyrrhotite.

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