Precambrian Sedimentary Environments

The motivation for this volume came from the idea that the Precambrian is the key, both to the present, and to the understanding of the Earth as a whole. The Precambrian constitutes about 85% of Earth's history, and of that, about 3.75 billion years of Precambrian time, represented by rocks, are accessible to geoscientists. Ancient atmospheric and environmental conditions can be traced back to the time when the Earth was only about 250 million years old. Precambrian rocks supply almost 75% of important mineral resources such as Fe, Mn, Au, Pt and Cr. Many of these elements are associated with sedimentary rocks and some important hydrocarbon, coal and graphite deposits are also hosted by Precambrian rocks. This volume is aimed at geoscientists interested in Precambrian sedimentary rocks and at students of Earth history. It contains review articles discussing Precambrian conditions and case studies from Precambrian shields and successions of North and South America, Australia, Africa, Europe, Asia and India. The introductory papers, written by experts on Precambrian environments, treat comprehensively the application of actualism to the Precambrian, the evolution and influence of life on the sedimentary rock record, the genesis of Banded Iron Formations, the Precambrian sulphur cycle and the significance of Precambrian chemical carbonate precipitates. The case studies include depositional settings and processes in Archean terranes, in Paleoproterozoic sequences, with some emphasis on the lack of vegetation and weathering, and in late Proterozoic sequences, with some emphasis on glacial deposits. The contributions demonstrate that Precambrian sedimentary deposits are commonly similar to their Phanerozoic counterparts in terms of composition, sedimentary processes, and depositional setting, but may differ significantly as a result of lack of vegetation, climatic and biological constraints, composition and circulation of seawater, and the secular involvement of continental crust. Contains review articles discussing Precambrian conditions and case studies from Precambrian shields and successions of North and South America, Australia, Africa, Europe, Asia and India. The introductory papers, written by experts on Precambrian environments, treat comprehensively the application of actualism to the Precambrian, the evolution and influence of life on the sedimentary rock record, the genesis of Banded Iron Formations, the Precambrian sulphur cycle and the significance of Precambrian chemical carbonate precipitates. Detailed case studies include depositional settings and processes in Archean terranes, in Paleoproterozoic sequences, with some emphasis on the lack of vegetation and weathering, and in late Proterozoic sequences, with some emphasis on glacial deposits. Written for geoscientists interested in Precambrian sedimentary rocks and students of Earth history. If you are a member of the International Association of Sedimentologists (IAS), for purchasing details, please see: iasnet.org/publications/details.asp?code=SP33

The motivation for this volume came from the idea that thePrecambrian is the key, both to the present, and to theunderstanding of the Earth as a whole. The Precambrian constitutesabout 85% of Earth's history, and of that, about 3.75 billion yearsof Precambrian time, represented by rocks, are accessible togeoscientists. Ancient atmospheric and environmental conditions canbe traced back to the time when the Earth was only about 250million years old. Precambrian rocks supply almost 75% of importantmineral resources such as Fe, Mn, Au, Pt and Cr. Many of theseelements are associated with sedimentary rocks and some importanthydrocarbon, coal and graphite deposits are also hosted byPrecambrian rocks.This volume is aimed at geoscientists interested in Precambriansedimentary rocks and at students of Earth history. It containsreview articles discussing Precambrian conditions and case studiesfrom Precambrian shields and successions of North and SouthAmerica, Australia, Africa, Europe, Asia and India. Theintroductory papers, written by experts on Precambrianenvironments, treat comprehensively the application of actualism tothe Precambrian, the evolution and influence of life on thesedimentary rock record, the genesis of Banded Iron Formations, thePrecambrian sulphur cycle and the significance of Precambrianchemical carbonate precipitates. The case studies includedepositional settings and processes in Archean terranes, inPaleoproterozoic sequences, with some emphasis on the lack ofvegetation and weathering, and in late Proterozoic sequences, withsome emphasis on glacial deposits. The contributions demonstratethat Precambrian sedimentary deposits are commonly similar to theirPhanerozoic counterparts in terms of composition, sedimentaryprocesses, and depositional setting, but may differ significantlyas a result of lack of vegetation, climatic and biologicalconstraints, composition and circulation of seawater, and thesecular involvement of continental crust.* * Contains review articles discussing Precambrian conditions andcase studies from Precambrian shields and successions of North andSouth America, Australia, Africa, Europe, Asia and India.* The introductory papers, written by experts on Precambrianenvironments, treat comprehensively the application of actualism tothe Precambrian, the evolution and influence of life on thesedimentary rock record, the genesis of Banded Iron Formations, thePrecambrian sulphur cycle and the significance of Precambrianchemical carbonate precipitates.* Detailed case studies include depositional settings andprocesses in Archean terranes, in Paleoproterozoic sequences, withsome emphasis on the lack of vegetation and weathering, and in lateProterozoic sequences, with some emphasis on glacialdeposits.* Written for geoscientists interested in Precambrian sedimentaryrocks and students of Earth history.If you are a member of the International Association ofSedimentologists (IAS), for purchasing details, please see:iasnet.org/publications/details.asp?code=SP33

Introduction (W. Altermann & P. Corcoran).Introductory Papers.1. Actualistic Versus Non-Actualistic Conditions In ThePrecambrian Sedimentary Record: Reappraisal Of An EnduringDiscussion (Donaldson, Eriksson And Altermann).2. The Evolution Of Life And Its Impact On Sedimentation(Altermann).3. The Significance Of Iron-Formation In The PrecambrianStratigraphic Record (Trendall).4. The Isotopic Composition Of Precambrian Sulphides - SeawaterChemistry And Biological Evolution (Strauss).5. Decimetre-Thick Encrustations Of Calcite And Aragonite On TheSea-Floor And Implications For Neoarchaean And Neoproterozoic OceanChemistry (Sumner).Case Studies.6. The 2.7 - 2.63 Ga Indin Lake Supracrustal Belt: An ArchaeanMarginal Basin-Foredeep Succession Preserved In The Western SlaveProvince, Canada (Pehrsson).7. Sedimentology Of A Tide- And-Wave-Influenced High-EnergyArchean Coastline: The Jackson Lake Formation, Slave ProvinceCanada (Mueller, Corcoran And Donaldson).8. The Effects Of Weathering, Sorting And Source Composition InArchaean High-Relief Basins: Examples From The Slave ProvinceNorthwest Territories, Canada (Corcoran And Mueller).9. Stratigraphic Evolution Of Archaean Volcanic Rock-DominatedRift Basins From The Whim Creek Belt, West Pilbara Craton, WesternAustralia (Pike And Cas).10. Syn- And Post-Eruptive Volcaniclastic Sedimentation In LateArchaean Subaqueous Depositional Systems Of The Black Flag GroupEight Mile Dam, Kalgoorie, Western Australia (Hand Et Al).11. Sedimentary Environment Of The Amphibolite-Grade EarlyProterozoic Keiva And Kukas Basins (North-East Baltic Shield):Normative Mineral MINLITH Analysis (Rosen, Safronov AndAbbyasov).12. Two Meta-Sedimentary Basins In The Early PrecambrianGranulites Of The Anabar Shield (Polar Siberia): Normative MineralCompositions Calculated By The MINLITH Program And Basin FaciesInterpretations (Zlobin, Rosen And Abbyasov).13. Mixed Siliclastic-Carbonate Storm-Dominated Ramp In ARejuvenated Palaeoproterozoic Intracratonic Basin: Upper HurwitzGroup, Nunavut, Canada (Aspler And Chiarenzelli).14. Aspects Of Late Palaeoproterozoic Fluvial Style: The UairenFormation, Roraima Supergroup, Venezuela (Long).15. Volcanogenic And Sedimentary Rocks Within The SvecofennianDomain, Ylivieska, Western Finland - An Example OfPalaeoproterozoic Intra-Arc Basin Fill (Strand).16. Palaeoproterozoic Epeiric Sea Palaeoenvironments: TheSilverton Formation (Pretoria Group, Transvaal Supergroup), SouthAfrica (Eriksson Et Al).17. Facies Sequence And Cryptic Imprint Of Sag Tectonics In TheLate Proterozoic Sirbu Shale, Central India (Sarkar Et Al).18. Sedimentation And Tectonic Setting Of Early NeoproterozoicGlacial Deposits In South-Eastern Brazil (Martins-Neto AndHercos).19. New Evidence Of Glacial Abrasion Of The Late ProterozoicUnconformity Around Varangerfjorden, Northern Norway (Laajoki)