Banded iron

formation

Banded iron formations (also known as banded ironstone formations or BIFs) are dist inct ive
unit s of sediment ary rock consist ing of alt ernat ing layers of iron oxides and iron-poor chert . They
can be up t o several hundred met ers in t hickness and ext end lat erally for several hundred
kilomet ers. Almost all of t hese format ions are of Precambrian age and are t hought t o record t he
oxygenat ion of t he Eart h's oceans. Some of t he Eart h's oldest rock format ions, which formed
about 3,700 (ht t p://t ools.wmflabs.org/t imescale/?Ma=3,700)  million years ago (Ma), are
associat ed wit h banded iron format ions.
 Banded iron formation

Sedimentary rock

Banded iron formation, Karijini National Park, Western Australia

Composition

Primary iron oxides, cherts

Secondary Other

2.1 billion year old rock from North America showing banded iron formation, displayed in Dresden, Saxony, Germany

Banded iron format ions are t hought t o have formed in sea wat er as t he result of oxygen
product ion by phot osynt het ic cyanobact eria. The oxygen combined wit h dissolved iron in Eart h's
oceans t o form insoluble iron oxides, which precipit at ed out , forming a t hin layer on t he ocean
floor. Each band is similar t o a varve, result ing from cyclic variat ions in oxygen product ion.

Banded iron format ions were first discovered in nort hern Michigan in 1844. Banded iron
format ions account for more t han 60% of global iron reserves and provide most of t he iron ore
present ly mined. Most format ions can be found in Aust ralia, Brazil, Canada, India, Russia, Sout h
Africa, Ukraine, and t he Unit ed St at es.

Description

Occurrence

Origins

Economic geology

See also

References

Further reading

External links

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Last edited 3 months ago by Kent G. Budge