none 10.2110/jsr.2015.76 Society for Sedimentary Geology Society for Sedimentary Geology 860 78311237 44378 2026052723153310600 10.2110 2026-05-28T03:15:55Z 2015-10-14T23:48:17Z 23 Journal of Sedimentary Research 1938-3681 1527-1404 10 2015 10 01 2015 10 01 2015 85 10 Dina M. Bower 1 Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 5251 Broad Branch Road, NW, Washington, D.C. 20015, U.S.A. Daniel R. Hummer 2 Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, U.S.A. Andrew Steele 1 Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 5251 Broad Branch Road, NW, Washington, D.C. 20015, U.S.A. Atsushi Kyono 3 Division of Earth Evolution Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan Abstract:  Changes in composition during the transition from sediment to rock are usually attributed to long, complicated histories and atmospheric influences, while the contribution of benthic mat-building cyanobacteria is not typically considered. Here the goal is to understand the influence of cyanobacterial mats on mineral weathering in postdepositional settings of sandy, shallow subaquatic environments. Laboratory incubation experiments were done using ilmenite sands and ilmenite-enriched quartz sands colonized by cyanobacterial mats for five months at three temperatures: 25°C and 37°C, representative of postdepositional weathering regimes, and 70°C corresponding to early diagenesis. As a comparative control to represent abiotic processes, ilmenite sands and ilmenite-enriched quartz sands were also subjected to the same conditions without cyanobacterial colonization. The precipitation of minerals on cyanobacterial cells and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) as well as the phase changes in natural ilmenites (FeTiO3) were documented to determine if cyanobacteria influence mineral reaction pathways. The precipitates, ilmenite grains, and permineralized cells were analyzed using complementary techniques of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and micro-Raman spectroscopy. The results of this study show that a variety of pure and mixed mineral phases precipitate under postdepositional conditions (T ≤ 70°C) in wet, sandy environments with or without cyanobacteria. Akaganeite, anatase, ankerite, lepidocrocite, gibbsite, kaolinite, and natrojarosite formed exclusively in the samples incubated with cyanobacteria. In the samples incubated with cyanobacteria, more mineral phases formed at 37°C, suggesting that cyanobacteria play a greater role in weathering than in early diagenesis. Sulfate phases that formed in the presence of cyanobacteria differed in chemical composition from the abiotic precipitates as Na, Al, Mg, and Si were incorporated into the structures of newly formed biotic phases. Understanding the possible fate of these precursor mineral phases will help redefine geochemical biosignatures that can be used for the detection of ancient microbial life in sedimentary rocks on Earth as well as for future missions exploring life on other planets. 10 2015 10 01 2015 10 01 2015 1213 1227 10.2110/jsr.2015.76 https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/jsedres/article/85/10/1213/145433/The-Co-Evolution-of-Fe-Oxides-Ti-Oxides-and-Other https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/sepm/jsedres/article-pdf/85/10/1213/2833142/i1527-1404-85-10-1213.pdf https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/sepm/jsedres/article-pdf/85/10/1213/2833142/i1527-1404-85-10-1213.pdf http://jsedres.geoscienceworld.org/lookup/doi/10.2110/jsr.2015.76 Clays and Clay Minerals Alimova 57 205 2009 10.1346/CCMN.2009.0570207 Bacteria–clay interaction: structural changes in smectite induced during biofilm formation Sedimentary Geology Banerjee 176 211 2005 10.1016/j.sedgeo.2004.12.013 Microbially originated wrinkle structures on 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