Biogeochemistry Commons^™

Identifying Biogeochemical Factors Responsible For The Cyclical Precipitation Of Sphalerite And Galena In Low Temperature Mississippi Valley Type Ore Deposits, Daniel John Makowsky

Theses and Dissertations

Mississippi Valley Type (MVT) lead and zinc deposits provide a significant source of sedimentary galena and sphalerite. However, geochemical characteristics and genesis including the source and production of hydrogen sulfide required for galena and sphalerite ore formation and the reasoning for quick, episodic mineralization is not fully understood. By simulating regional MVT brines, the input and effect of biological by-products during the development of these ores as well as the cause of cyclicity within MVT deposits have been observed. Experiments using compositions from MVT fluid inclusions were conducted over two-week periods. Variables during the experiments included temperature, CO2, hydrogen sulfide …

Are 34s-Enriched Authigenic Sulfide Minerals A Proxy For Elevated Methane Flux And Gas Hydrates In The Geologic Record?, Walter S. Borowski, Nancy M. Rodriguez, Charles K. Paull, William Ussler Iii

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

The sulfate–methane transition (SMT) zone is a diagenetic transition within anoxic marine sediments created by the metabolic activity of a consortium of sulfate-reducing bacteria and methane-oxidizing Archaea. As interstitial dissolved sulfate is consumed by microbially mediated sulfate reduction of sedimentary organic matter (SOM) and anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) large enrichments of ³⁴S occur in the interstitial sulfate pool. These isotopic enrichments are transmitted to the dissolved sulfide pool (∑HS⁻) and subsequently into sulfide minerals (So, ∼FeS, FeS₂).

We investigate the sulfur isotopic composition of pore-water sulfate and sulfide minerals at three sites underlain …

Enrichments Of Heavy Sulfur (34s) In Sulfide Minerals: Gas Hydrates, Methane Delivery, And Anaerobic Methane Oxidation, Walter S. Borowski, Namcy M. Rodriguez, Charles K. Paull, William Ussler Iii

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

The sulfur isotopic composition of authigenic, sedimentary sulfide minerals is largely controlled by sulfate reduction and related processes within sedimentary environments. Histograms show that that d³⁴S values of sulfide minerals forming in depositional and diagenetic environments are most often negative (d³⁴S < 0^o/_oo CDT) reflecting the original isotopic composition of seawater sulfate (now ~21^o/_oo), microbially-mediated fractionations of ~-8 to -40^o/_oo (a = 1.029-1.059) during sulfate reduction, and more extreme fractionations caused by sulfur disproportionation. Enrichments of heavy sulfur (d³⁴S > 0^o/_oo) in sulfide …

A Preliminary Study Of Sulfide Mineral Formation In Methane-Rich, Marine Sediments Associated With Anaerobic Methane Oxidation, Cascadia Continental Margin, Offshore Oregon, David Deigert, Walter S. Borowski

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Within gas hydrate settings, sulfide mineralization in marine sediments is likely controlled by two microbially-mediated, sulfate-depleting processes: anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO) and sulfate reduction. If large amounts of methane are delivered to the sulfate-methane interface (SMI), predominantly by diffusion, larger amounts of solid sulfide sulfur should occur there as dissolved sulfide combines with iron, forming an authigenic precipitate. We measure the amount of diagenetic sulfide sulfur at three locations in the Hydrate Ridge vicinity by extracting the bulk sedimentary sulfide-phase minerals (S^o, FeS, and FeS₂) through chromium reduction, precipitating sulfide sulfur as silver sulfide, and gravimetrically …

Data Report: Dissolved Sulfide Concentration And Sulfur Isotopic Composition Of Sulfide And Sulfate In Pore Waters, Odp Leg 204, Hydrate Ridge And Vicinity, Cascadia Margin, Offshore Oregon, Walter S. Borowski

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

We report dissolved sulfide sulfur concentrations and the sulfur isotopic composition of dissolved sulfate and sulfide in pore waters from sediments collected during Ocean Drilling Program Leg 204. Porewater sulfate is depleted rapidly as the depth to the sulfate/methane interface (SMI) occurs between 4.5 and 11 meters below seafloor at flank and basin locations. Dissolved sulfide concentration reaches values as high as 11.3 mM in Hole 1251E. Otherwise, peak sulfide concentrations lie between 3.2 and 6.1 mM and occur immediately above the SMI. The sulfur isotopic composition of interstitial sulfate generally becomes enriched in 34 S with increasing sediment depth. …

A Geologic Record Of Competing Sulfate-Depletion Processes Within Continental-Rise Sediments Overlying Methane Gas Hydrates Of The Blake Ridge Region (Continental Rise, Offshore Southeastern United States), Walter S. Borowski, Kathryn G. Takacs, Matthew K. Thompson

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Geochemical signals locked within sediments and sedimentary rocks record geochemical processes through geologic time. Sulfide minerals (elemental sulfur, iron monosulfides, and pyrite) are formed within marine sediments as dissolved sulfide is produced by various geochemical processes, which include sulfate reduction and anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO). The concentration and sulfur isotopic composition (d³⁴S) of sulfide minerals gives clues about the relative importance of these competing geochemical processes, and consequently about sedimentation rates and upward methane transport.

Marine sediments of the Blake Ridge(offshore South Carolina and Georgia) contain sulfide minerals that point to AMO as an important diagenetic process both …

A Preliminary Comparison Of The Sulfur Geochemistry Between Two Gas Hydrate Terranes, Michael D. Spicer, Walter S. Borowski

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

We compare the authigenic sulfide mineral geochemistry of two, different gas hydrate terranes: the accretionary wedge of the Cascadia continental margin (offshore Oregon) and the passive margin of the Blake Ridge region (offshore southeastern US). We expect diagenetic processes effecting sulfide mineral formation (elemental sulfur, iron monosulfides, and pyrite) within these sediments to respond to differing geologic conditions at each setting. In both settings, methane diffuses upward from gas hydrates to the methane-sulfate interface (SMI), where it is consumed by reaction with sulfate during anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO). This microbially-mediated, diagenetic process produces an interstitial environment conducive to authigenic sulfide …

A Geologic Record Of Methane Consumption Associated With Methane Gas Hydrates At Blake Ridge Region (Continental Rise, Offshore Southeastern United States), Walter S. Borowski, Kathryn G. Takacs, Matthew K. Thompson

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Geochemical signals locked within sedimentary rocks are a record of earth processes. Sulfide minerals (elemental sulfur, iron monosulfides, and pyrite) are formed within marine sediments by several different geochemical processes mediated by microbes. Investigating the concentration and sulfur isotopic composition (d³⁴S) of sulfide minerals gives clues about the relative importance of these competing geochemical processes.

Marine sediments of the Blake Ridge(offshore South Carolina and Georgia) contain sulfide minerals that point to anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO) as an important diagenetic process both today and in the recent geological past (Miocene). At the present-day methane-sulfate interface, upward-diffusing methane is consumed …

Sulfide Mineralization In Deep-Water Marine Sediments Related To Methane Transport, Methane Consumption, And Methane Gas Hydrates, Matthew K. Thompson, Walter S. Borowski, Charles K. Paull, William Ussler Iii

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Patterns of sulfide sulfur concentration and sulfur isotopic composition (d³⁴ S) are perhaps related to upward methane transport, especially in sediments underlain by methane gas hydrate deposits. Increased methane delivery augments the effect of anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO) occurring at the sulfate-methane interface (SMI). Sulfate and methane co-consumption results in production of dissolved sulfide at the interface that is eventually sequestered within sulfide minerals (elemental sulfur, iron monosulfide, pyrite).

We examine the sediments of two piston cores collected over the Blake Ridge gas hydrate deposits (offshore southeastern United States) by extracting total sedimentary sulfide using chromium reduction. We use …

Relative Concentration Of Solid-Phase Sulfide Species In Marine Sediments Overlying Gas Hydrate Deposits: Recognition Of The Role Of Anaerobic Methane Oxidation In Authigenic Sulfide Formation, Matthew K. Thompson, Walter S. Borowski, Charles K. Paull, William Ussler Iii

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Sulfide mineralization in marine sediments occurs when dissolved sulfide, produced by sulfate reduction processes, combines with dissolved iron to form iron sulfide minerals. Sulfide can be produced by oxidation of organic matter or by anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO), which involves the co-consumption of sulfate and methane. The latter process seems especially important within gas hydrate terrains like that of theBlakeRidge(offshore southeasternUnited States), where appreciable amounts of methane diffuse upward to the base of the sulfate reduction zone, or sulfate-methane interface (SMI).

We examine the sediments of two piston cores collected over the Blake Ridge gas hydrate deposits by sequentially extracting …

Sulfide Mineralization Within Modern, Deep-Sea Marine Sediments And Oxygenation Of The Early Earth, Matthew K. Thompson, Walter S. Borowski

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

The Earth’s atmosphere and oceans have not always been oxygenated. The exact pathway and timing of the oxygenation of the Earth’s early oceans is poorly constrained, although it appears that oxygenation was essentially complete by the beginning of the Cambrian (545 million years ago). Indeed, the appearance and diversification of the first animals may have been dependent on threshold levels of oxygen. Eventually we intend to use the sulfur isotopic composition of sulfide minerals (iron monosulfides and pyrite) present in sedimentary rocks to reconstruct the oxygenation of Proterozoic oceans, but first must strive to understand sulfide mineral formation in the …

Sulfide Mineralization In Deep-Water Marine Sediments Related To Methane Transport, Methane Consumption, And Methane Gas Hydrates, Matthew K. Thompson, Walter S. Borowski, Charles K. Paull, William Ussler Iii

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Patterns of sulfide sulfur concentration and sulfur isotopic composition (d³⁴ S) are perhaps related to upward methane transport, especially in sediments underlain by methane gas hydrate deposits. Increased methane delivery augments the effect of anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO) occurring at the sulfate-methane interface (SMI). Sulfate and methane co-consumption results in production of dissolved sulfide at the interface that is eventually sequestered within sulfide minerals (elemental sulfur, iron monosulfide, pyrite).

We examine the sediments of two piston cores collected over the Blake Ridge gas hydrate deposits (offshore southeastern United States) by extracting total sedimentary sulfide using chromium reduction. We use …

Changes In Sulfur Concentration And Sulfur Isotopic Composition Within Authigenic Sulfide Minerals From Sediments Of Miocene Age To The Present, Odp Site 995, Blake Ridge, Offshore Southeastern United States, Kathryn G. Takacs, Walter S. Borowski

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

The Blake Ridge area (offshore southeastern United States) consists of deep-water continental margin sediments overlying deposits of methane gas hydrate. Authigenic sulfide minerals (elemental sulfur, S˚; iron monosulfides, ~FeS; and pyrite, FeS₂) are actively deposited in these sediments due to sulfate reduction and focused anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO) at the sulfate-methane interface (SMI). Sulfide minerals at the present SMI are enriched in ³⁴S relative to those produced by sulfate reduction of organic matter higher in the sulfate reduction zone. ³⁴S enrichments preserved in the sediment column may identify relatively high amounts of AMO and thus record …

Sulfide Mineralization In Deep-Water Marine Sediments Related To Methane Transport, Methane Consumption, And Methane Gas Hydrates, Matthew K. Thompson, Walter S. Borowski, Charles K. Paull, William Ussler Iii

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Patterns of sulfide sulfur concentration and sulfur isotopic composition (d³⁴S) are perhaps related to upward methane transport, especially in sediments underlain by methane gas hydrate deposits. Increased methane delivery augments the affect of anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO) occurring at the sulfate-methane interface (SMI). Sulfate and methane co-consumption results in production of dissolved sulfide at the interface that is eventually sequestered within sulfide minerals (elemental sulfur, iron monosulfide, pyrite).

We examine the sediments of two piston cores collected over the Blake Ridge gas hydrate deposits (offshore southeastern North America) by extracting total sedimentary sulfide using chromium reduction. We use …

Enrichments Of 34s In Sulfide Minerals Of Deep-Water Marine Sediments Of The Blake Ridge, Offshore Southeastern United States, Kathryn G. Takacs, Walter S. Borowski

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Past research shows that active sulfide mineralization occurs at the base of the sulfate reduction zone (SRZ) in modern, deep-water, continental-margin sediments that overlie methane gas hydrate. These sulfide minerals (elemental sulfur, Sº; iron monosulfides, ~FeS; and pyrite, FeS₂) are enriched in ³⁴S because of sulfate reduction and anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO) processes occurring above and near the sulfate-methane interface (SMI).

The data in this study show that 5 discrete zones of sulfide minerals are preserved in a 703.8-meter sediment column associated with methane gas hydrate. These zones of sulfide minerals are also enriched in ³⁴S. …