Modern carbonate microbialites from an asbestos open pit pond, Yukon, Canada
Abstract
Microbialites were discovered in an open pit pond at an abandoned asbestos mine near Clinton Creek, Yukon, Canada. These microbialites are extremely young and presumably began forming soon after the mine closed in 1978. Detailed characterization of the periphyton and microbialites using light and scanning electron microscopy was coupled with mineralogical and isotopic analyses to investigate the mechanisms by which these microbialites formed. The microbialites are columnar in form (cm scale), have an internal spherulitic fabric (mm scale), and are mostly made of aragonite, which is supersaturated in the subsaline pond water. Initial precipitation is seen as acicular aragonite crystals nucleating onto microbial biomass and detrital particles. Continued precipitation entombs benthic diatoms (e.g. Brachysira vitrea), filamentous algae (e.g. Oedogonium sp.), dinoflagellates, and cyanobacteria. The presence of phototrophs at spherulite centers strongly suggests that these microbes play an important initial role in aragonite precipitation. Substantial growth of individual spherulites occurs abiotically through periodic precipitation of aragonite that forms concentric laminations around spherulite centers while pauses in spherulite growth allow for colonization by microbes. Aragonite associated with biomass (δ(13)C = -4.6‰ VPDB) showed a (13)C-enrichment of 0.8‰ relative to aragonite exhibiting no biomass (δ(13)C = -5.4‰ VPDB), which suggests a modest removal of isotopically light dissolved inorganic carbon by phototrophs. The combination of a low sedimentation rate, high calcification rate, and low microbial growth rate appears to result in the formation of these microbialites. The formation of microbialites at an historic mine site demonstrates that an anthropogenically constructed environment can foster microbial carbonate formation.
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Carbonate minerals are stable and long-lived, making them an ideal sink for surplus atmospheric CO2.
“The stability and longevity of carbonate minerals make them an ideal sink for surplus atmospheric”
From Carbon Sequestration in Biogenic Magnesite and Other Magnesium Carbonate Minerals (2019) · cites this paper as [11]
This biogeochemical process has potential to produce stable, long-term sinks for atmospheric CO2.
“This biogeochemical process has potential to produce stable, long-”
From Carbon Sequestration in Biogenic Magnesite and Other Magnesium Carbonate Minerals (2019) · cites this paper as [11]
Precipitation of aragonite entombs calcifying microbes such as cyanobacteria, which may be observed using scanning electron microscopy of acid-etched thin sections.
“Precipitation of aragonite entombs calcifying microbes such as cyanobacteria, which may be observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of acid-etched thin sections (Figure 2c) [37].”
From Strategizing carbon-neutral mines: A case for pilot projects (2014) · cites this paper as [37]
Carbonate microbialites found in an open pit pond at Clinton Creek are a striking example of microbially mediated carbonate precipitation.
“A striking example of microbially mediated carbonate precipitation are the carbonate microbialites found in an open pit pond at Clinton Creek (Figure 2a-c) [37].”
From Strategizing carbon-neutral mines: A case for pilot projects (2014) · cites this paper as [37]
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Self-citation
- Authors
- POWER, I. M., WILSON, S., DIPPLE, G. M., & SOUTHAM, G.
- Affiliations
- Western University (CA)
- Indiana University Bloomington (US)
- University of British Columbia (CA)
- Corresponding author
- POWER, I. M.
- Venue
- Geobiology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2011-01-14
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 180-195
- ISSN
- 1472-4669 (ISSN-L)
- 1472-4677
- OpenAlex
- W2160971447
- Cited by
- 46
- References
- 67
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 2.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Geobiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Biomaterials › Calcium Carbonate Crystallization and Inhibition
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geochemistry and Petrology › Geochemistry and Elemental Analysis
- Keywords
- microbialites, aragonite precipitation, spherulites, periphyton, carbon isotopes, benthic diatoms, cyanobacteria
- MeSH terms
- Cyanobacteria, Chlorophyta, Asbestos, Calcium Carbonate, Carbonates, Dinoflagellida, Fresh Water, Mining, Yukon Territory, Diatoms, Geologic Sediments, Geological Phenomena
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