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Stabilizing pyritic material

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 July 2017

Donald L. Wolberg
Donald L. Wolberg*
Affiliation:
New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Socorro, New Mexico 87801
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Extract

The minerals pyrite and marcasite (broadly termed pyritic minerals) are iron sulfides that are common if not ubiquitous in sedimentary rocks, especially in association with organic materials (Berner, 1970). In most marine sedimentary associations, pyrite and marcasite are associated with organic sediments rich in dissolved sulfate and iron minerals. Because of the rapid consumption of sulfate in freshwater environments, however, pyrite formation is more restricted in nonmarine sediments (Berner, 1983). The origin of the sulfur in nonmarine environments must lie within pre-existing rocks or volcanic detritus; a relatively small, but significant contribution may derive from plant and animal decomposition products.

Information

Type
Techniques for Megafossils
Information
The Paleontological Society Special Publications , Volume 4: Paleotechniques , 1989, pp. 244 - 248
Copyright
Copyright © 1989 Paleontological Society 

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References

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