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04 Desember 2014
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Banded iron formations (also known as banded ironstone formations or BIFs) are distinctive units
of sedimentary rock that are almost always of Precambrian age.
A typical BIF consists of repeated, thin layers (a few millimeters to a few centimeters in thickness) of silver to
black iron oxides, eithermagnetite (Fe3 O4 ) or hematite (Fe2 O3 ), alternating with bands of ironpoor shales and cherts, often red in color, of similar thickness, and containing microbands (sub-millimeter) of
iron oxides. [1]
Some of the oldest known rock formations, formed over 3,700 million years ago, include banded iron
layers. [2] Banded layers rich in iron were mostly deposited between 2,400 and
1,900 mya. Phanerozoic ironstones generally have a different genesis[citation needed].
Banded iron beds are an important commercial source of iron ore, such as the Pilbara region of Western
Australia and the Animikie Group inMinnesota.
Pasted from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banded_iron_formation>
Thabazimbi and Sishen these reserves are exploited by major mining operations.
Figure 1: Core sample (8 cm) of Banded iron-formation from Hamersley, Australia. A fault runs through
the center of the specimen showing the displacement of the individual layers of banding. Specimen and
photograph: A. Fraser
Figure 2: Banded iron-formation (6 cm). Banded iron-formation is composed of alternating layers of ironrich material and silica (chert), Nchwaning II mine, Kalahari Manganese Field. Each layer is relatively
thin, varying in thickness from about a millimetre up to a few centimetres. This is evidence of aerobic life
altering the early earths atmosphere by the precipitation of iron oxides. Specimen and photograph: A.
Fraser
Figure 3: Banded iron-formation (10 cm). Banded iron-formation is composed of alternating layers of ironrich material, Northern Cape,, South Africa. Specimen and photograph: A. Fraser
Figure 4: Banded iron-formation (14 cm). Banded iron-formation is composed of alternating layers of
iron-rich material, Thabazimbi, South Africa. Specimen and photograph: A. Fraser
Figure 5: Mining activity at the Thabazimbi iron ore mine. Photograph by A.Fraser
References:
1. Attenborough. D., (2010). First Life Harper Collins publishers, ISBN 978 0007365241. (page 46)
2. Banded Iron Formation http://jersey.uoregon.edu/
~mstrick/RogueComCollege/RCC_Lectures/Banded_Iron.html (accessed Dec 27, 2010)
3. Kirschvink, J. (1992). "Late Proterozoic low-latitude global glaciation: the Snowball Earth", in J. W.
Schopf; C. Klein: The Proterozoic Biosphere: A Multidisciplinary Study. Cambridge University Press.
4. Mathez, E. (2006). How Has the Earth Evolved? Evolution of the Atmosphere
5. McCarthy, T. 2009. How on Earth? Answers to the puzzles of our planet. Struik Nature, Random House
Struik (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town
6. http://www.amnh.org/learn/resources/earth_resource1.php (accessed Dec 27, 2010)
7. Southwood. R., (2003) The Story of Life Oxford University Press (Pages 22- 24).
Pasted from <http://iridiumminer.blogspot.com/2011/01/banded-iron-formations-clues-to-early.html>