Iron Depletion

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Mark Simmons - 05 Mar 2004 07:54 GMT

I am trying to find out what caused a massive depetion of iron in the ocean
approximately 2 billion years ago. I've been reading my text for marine
science 100 and searching online. If anyone has a link to the information I
will be very appreciative.

Thanks,
Mark

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Christof Kuhn - 05 Mar 2004 13:19 GMT

> I am trying to find out what caused a massive depetion of iron in the ocean
> approximately 2 billion years ago. I've been reading my text for marine
> science 100 and searching online. If anyone has a link to the information I
> will be very appreciative.

AFAIK, it was the invention of photosynthesis 2 billion years ago.
Fe2+ has high solubility in water, Fe3+ low. The availability of O2
oxydizes the iron, which precipitates as iron ore on the ocean floor.
Many countries owe their iron deposits to that process.

The keyword of choice is "banded iron formation".
Google is your friend.

Just 3 examples:
http://jersey.uoregon.edu/~mstrick/RogueComCollege/RCC_Lectures/Banded_Iron.html
http://www.fact-index.com/b/ba/banded_iron_formation.html
http://studentwebs.coloradocollege.edu/~k_tenney/

Good luck, Christof

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Christof Kuhn
Inst. f. Angewandte Geologie,
Univ. f. BoKu Wien, Austria

Christof.Kuhn@boku.ac.at
http://homepage.boku.ac.at/h9440283/index.htm

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Natural Science Forum / Earth Science / Oceanography / March 2004

Iron Depletion