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Biogenic Nontronite from Marine White Smoker Chimneys

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2024

Birgit Köhler ,
Arieh Singer  and
Peter Stoffers
Birgit Köhler
Affiliation:
Geologisch-Paläontologisches Institut und Museum, Christian-Albrechts-Universität, 24118 Kiel, Germany
Arieh Singer
Affiliation:
Department of Soil and Water Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12, Rehovot, 76-100, Israel
Peter Stoffers
Affiliation:
Geologisch-Paläontologisches Institut und Museum, Christian-Albrechts-Universität, 24118 Kiel, Germany
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Abstract

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Clay samples of greenish colour were collected from submarine hydrothermal chimneys of the Galapagos Rift and Mariana Trough. Mineralogical and chemical investigations of the clay by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis, infrared-spectros-copy, X-ray fluorescence, and determination of specific surface area, and oxygen isotope composition identify it as a well crystallized nontronite. This nontronite of hydrothermal origin has a nearly monomineralic character, a low Al-content, and a formation temperature of 21.5 to 67.3°C. The most remarkable characteristic, however, of the nontronite deposit is its microstructure, a network of microtubes composed of fine frequently folded clay sheets. These delicate filaments show close similarity in size and form to sheath forming bacteria. The correlation between clay mineral and chemical characteristics, as well as biological conditions at marine hydrothermal smoker chimneys, let us suggest that Fe oxidizing, sheath forming bacteria are playing a decisive role in nontronite formation at these sites.

Keywords

Authigenic formationBio-catalysisHydrothermalMicrostructureNontroniteScanning electron microscopySilicate smoker chimney
Type
Research Article
Information
Clays and Clay Minerals , Volume 42 , Issue 6 , December 1994 , pp. 689 - 701
Copyright
Copyright © 1994, Clay Minerals Society

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