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Minerals
Special Issues
Carbonate Biomineralization, Environmental, and Diagenetic Significance
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Carbonate Biomineralization, Environmental, and Diagenetic Significance

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Mineralogy and Biogeochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 August 2022) | Viewed by 13046

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Vincent V. Barbin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
GEGENAA, EA 3795, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, 51100 Reims, France
Interests: biominerals; cathodoluminescence microscopie; carbonates; white marbles
Dr. Frédéric Marin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
UMR CNRS-EPHE 6282 Biogéosciences, Université de Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, 21000 Dijon, France
Interests: biomineralization; mollusks; skeletal organic matrices; evolution; diagenesis; proteomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Carbonate deposits usually originate from biomineralization and are frequently used in geochemistry to assess the composition of past seawater and environmental conditions. Therefore, understanding biomineralization and its diagenetic alterations is of prime interest for recording the world’s history. Clearly, knowledge of biomineralization is crucial for the reconstruction of past environmental conditions and for the investigation on fossil records. Numerous new methods and apparatus have been developed in the last few years to investigate biominerals, i.e., their ultrastructures and composition. The importance of organic phases in now demonstrated, and the composite organization and the complex diagenetic evolution of biologically controlled mineralizations should be taken into account when environmental studies are performed. This Special Issue is dedicated to new insights into both calcium carbonate biomineralizations and their use as geochemical signatures.

Prof. Dr. Vincent V. Barbin
Dr. Frédéric Marin
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Biomineralization
  • Diagenesis
  • Fossils
  • Paleoenvironment
  • Organic matrix
  • Calcium carbonate
  • Geochemistry

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 28459 KiB  
Article
Holocene Lacustrine Abiotic Aragonitic Ooids from the Western Qaidam Basin, Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
by Yongjie Lin, Ian M. Power and Wenxi Chen
Minerals 2022, 12(11), 1400; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12111400 - 31 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1990
Abstract
Carbonate ooids are a significant component of shallow water carbonate deposits in the present and geologic past, yet their origin and formation mechanism have been the subject of continuing debate. This study focuses on the well-preserved Holocene aragonitic ooids collected from the west [...] Read more.
Carbonate ooids are a significant component of shallow water carbonate deposits in the present and geologic past, yet their origin and formation mechanism have been the subject of continuing debate. This study focuses on the well-preserved Holocene aragonitic ooids collected from the west Qaidam Basin, Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). The mineralogical and chemical compositions, and stable (δ13C and δ18O), and radiocarbon isotopes of the ooids were analyzed to investigate their formation and develop a depositional model. The ooids formed approximately 5377±61 cal BP, and their cortices were composed of microcrystalline aragonite, with most nuclei being quartz grains. Stable carbon and oxygen isotopes indicate that authigenic aragonite precipitation is driven by evaporation and associated degassing of CO2 under turbulence conditions in a shallow alkaline lakes. Furthermore, eletron microscopy showed no presence of microfossils in ooid cortices or other evidence of microbial activity. Therefore, we propose that aragonite precipitation during ooid formation is most likely induced abiotically by increasing alkalinity due to evapoconcentration of lake waters based on an absence of an efficient carbonate-inducing metabolic pathway. New observations and detailed analyses of aragonitic ooid samples in the Qaidam Basin provide an improved understanding of the origin and formation processes of carbonate ooid in modern environment and the geologic past. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbonate Biomineralization, Environmental, and Diagenetic Significance)
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21 pages, 4859 KiB  
Article
Genesis of Cambrian Dolomites in the Bachu Area, Tarim Basin, NW China: Constraints from Petrology, Geochemistry, and Fluid Inclusions
by Zhipeng Chen, Yanfei Yang, Caiyuan Dong, Ningxi Li, Pengtao Wang, Shaohua Zhang, Wei Dang and Yun Liao
Minerals 2022, 12(9), 1157; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12091157 - 14 Sep 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1367
Abstract
The dolomitization of carbonate rocks has always been a hot topic in the study of the dolomite reservoir. In this study, the genesis of Cambrian dolomite in the Bachu area, Tarim Basin, was assessed through petrographic examinations, isotope compositions (C, O, and Sr), [...] Read more.
The dolomitization of carbonate rocks has always been a hot topic in the study of the dolomite reservoir. In this study, the genesis of Cambrian dolomite in the Bachu area, Tarim Basin, was assessed through petrographic examinations, isotope compositions (C, O, and Sr), trace and rare earth elements, and fluid inclusion microthermometry. Microscopic analysis revealed three types of dolomites: very fine-crystalline, nonplanar dolomite (D1); fine-crystalline, nonplanar to planar-s dolomite (D2); and medium- to coarse-crystalline, planar-e to planar-s dolomite (D3). D1 dolomite exhibits well-preserved original sedimentary features, such as algal laminae, stromatolite, and evaporite streak, and is characterized by the 87Sr/86Sr value and δ18O value in equilibrium with the coeval seawater, its high Sr and Na content, and its low Mn content. This indicates that D1 dolomite is primarily a penecontemporaneous dolomite in tidal flat or lagoon environments, and its dolomitizing fluid is mainly evaporated mesosaline to penesaline seawater. D2 dolomite shows ghosts of precursor particles; features δ13C values in equilibrium with the coeval seawater, high 87Sr/86Sr values, low Sr content, and positive Eu anomaly; and is widely distributed close to stylolite. This illustrates that D2 dolomite was principally formed by seepage–reflux dolomitization, and is closely related to hydrothermal activity and pressure dissolution. D3 dolomite displays a crystal texture with a cloudy core and compositional zoning, and the original sedimentary fabrics cannot be identified. It has similar δ13C values and REE patterns to the calcite precipitated from coeval seawater, high 87Sr/86Sr values, low Sr contents and high Mn/Sr ratios, which suggests that D3 dolomite is chiefly related to the recrystallization of the precursor dolomite during the deep burial stage, and the deep circular brine provides Mg ions through the fluid–rock reaction. This study shows that the Cambrian dolomite in the Bachu area is mainly formed in the coeval seawater environment during the penecontemporaneous and shallow burial stages, and has extensively suffered from recrystallization and burial diagenesis due to long-term deep burial, which was further strengthened in the fracture-enriched area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbonate Biomineralization, Environmental, and Diagenetic Significance)
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30 pages, 40960 KiB  
Article
Contrasting Modes of Carbonate Precipitation in a Hypersaline Microbial Mat and Their Influence on Biomarker Preservation (Kiritimati, Central Pacific)
by Yan Shen, Pablo Suarez-Gonzalez and Joachim Reitner
Minerals 2022, 12(2), 267; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12020267 - 20 Feb 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2474
Abstract
Microbial mats represented the earliest complex ecosystems on Earth, since fossil mineralized examples (i.e., microbialites) date back to the Archean Eon. Some microbialites contain putative remains of organic matter (OM), however the processes and pathways that lead to the preservation of OM within [...] Read more.
Microbial mats represented the earliest complex ecosystems on Earth, since fossil mineralized examples (i.e., microbialites) date back to the Archean Eon. Some microbialites contain putative remains of organic matter (OM), however the processes and pathways that lead to the preservation of OM within microbialite minerals are still poorly understood. Here, a multidisciplinary study is presented (including petrographic, mineralogical and organic geochemical analyses), focusing on a modern calcifying mat from a hypersaline lake in the Kiritimati atoll (Central Pacific). The results show that this mat has a complex history, with two main growth phases under hypersaline conditions, separated by an interruption caused by desiccation and/or freshening of the lake. The mineral precipitates of the mat are predominantly aragonitic and two contrasting precipitation modes are observed: the main growth phases of the mat were characterized by the slow formation of irregular micritic particles with micropeloidal textures and subspherical particles, linked to the degradation of the exopolymer (EPS) matrix of the mat; whereas the interruption period was characterized by the rapid development of a thin but laterally continuous crust composed of superposed fibrous aragonite botryoids that entombed their contemporaneous benthic microbial community. These two precipitation modes triggered different preservation pathways for the OM of the mat as the thin crust shows a particular lipid biomarker signature, different from that of other layers and the relatively rapid precipitation of the crust protecting the underlying lipids from degradation, causing them to show a preservation equivalent to that of a modern active microbial community, despite them being >1100 years old. Equivalent thin mineral crusts occur in other microbialite examples and, thus, this study highlights them as excellent targets for the search of well-preserved biomarker signatures in fossil microbialites. Nevertheless, the results of this work warn for extreme caution when interpreting complex microbialite biomarker signatures, advising combined petrographic, mineralogical and geochemical investigations for the different microbialite layers and mineral microfabrics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbonate Biomineralization, Environmental, and Diagenetic Significance)
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15 pages, 5451 KiB  
Article
The Mechanical Consequences of the Interplay of Mineral Distribution and Organic Matrix Orientation in the Claws of the Sea Slater Ligia pallasii
by Miloš Vittori, Vesna Srot, Lidija Korat, Matjaž Rejec, Pavel Sedmak, Birgit Bussmann, Felicitas Predel, Peter A. van Aken and Jasna Štrus
Minerals 2021, 11(12), 1373; https://doi.org/10.3390/min11121373 - 06 Dec 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2439
Abstract
Exposed regions of the arthropod exoskeleton have specialized structure and mineral composition. Their study can provide insights into the evolutionary optimization of the cuticle as a material. We determined the structural and compositional features of claws in the crustacean Ligia pallasii using X-ray [...] Read more.
Exposed regions of the arthropod exoskeleton have specialized structure and mineral composition. Their study can provide insights into the evolutionary optimization of the cuticle as a material. We determined the structural and compositional features of claws in the crustacean Ligia pallasii using X-ray micro-computed tomography, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and analytical scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). In addition, we used nanoindentation to determine how these features fine-tune the mechanical properties of the claw cuticle. We found that the inner layer of the claw cuticle—the endocuticle—contains amorphous calcium phosphate, while the outer layer—the exocuticle—is not mineralized and contains elevated amounts of bromine. While the chitin–protein fibers in crustacean exoskeletons generally shift their orientation, they are aligned axially in the claws of L. pallasii. As a consequence, the claw cuticle has larger elastic modulus and hardness in the axial direction. We show that amorphous calcium phosphate mineralization and the brominated cuticle are widespread in isopod crustaceans inhabiting terrestrial habitats. We discuss how the features of the claw cuticle may aid in minimizing the likelihood of fracture. Ultimately, our study points out the features that increase the durability of thin skeletal elements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbonate Biomineralization, Environmental, and Diagenetic Significance)
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Review

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37 pages, 2914 KiB  
Review
The Role of Microorganisms in the Nucleation of Carbonates, Environmental Implications and Applications
by Ana Robles-Fernández, Camila Areias, Daniele Daffonchio, Volker C. Vahrenkamp and Mónica Sánchez-Román
Minerals 2022, 12(12), 1562; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12121562 - 03 Dec 2022
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3259
Abstract
Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) is an important process in the synthesis of carbonate minerals, and thus, it is widely explored as a novel approach with potential for many technological applications. However, the processes and mechanisms involved in carbonate mineral formation in the [...] Read more.
Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) is an important process in the synthesis of carbonate minerals, and thus, it is widely explored as a novel approach with potential for many technological applications. However, the processes and mechanisms involved in carbonate mineral formation in the presence of microbes are not yet fully understood. This review covers the current knowledge regarding the role of microbial cells and metabolic products (e.g., extracellular polymeric substances, proteins and amino acids) on the adsorption of divalent metals, adsorption of ionic species and as templates for crystal nucleation. Moreover, they can play a role in the mineral precipitation, size, morphology and lattice. By understanding how microbes and their metabolic products promote suitable physicochemical conditions (pH, Mg/Ca ratio and free CO32− ions) to induce carbonate nucleation and precipitation, the manipulation of the final mineral precipitates could be a reality for (geo)biotechnological approaches. The applications and implications of biogenic carbonates in areas such as geology and engineering are presented and discussed in this review, with a major focus on biotechnology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbonate Biomineralization, Environmental, and Diagenetic Significance)
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