Articles tagged with Pyrite
Researchers found that a pyrite-oxidizing microbe preserves up to 90% of atmospheric oxygen in sulfate, offering insights into microbial activity in ancient environments. This discovery could help analyze oxygen isotope data from Martian sediments for signs of life and provide clues to environmental conditions on early Earth.
A study found that sediment resuspension triggered by trawling and natural processes releases significant amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere through pyrite oxidation. The research reveals that protecting sensitive seafloor areas with fine-grained sediments is crucial to maintain the region's carbon sink capacity.
Researchers used pyrite to study the relationship between sediment mixing and oxygen levels in ancient oceans. They found that small amounts of sediment mixing can expose buried minerals to enough oxygen to start oxygen buildup. This challenges conventional wisdom about the role of oxygen in oxygen accumulation.
Researchers separate out microbial and environmental controls on marine sedimentary pyrite sulfur isotope ratios, revealing local processes that dominate the record. This breakthrough refutes previous hypotheses and offers a new framework for interpreting ancient signals.
Researchers found that golden fossils from Germany's Posidonia shale are primarily made up of phosphate minerals, hinting at the presence of oxygen in the environment. The discovery suggests that oxygen played a crucial role in driving chemical reactions needed for fossilization.
Researchers discovered trapped seawater sealed in North American rock for 390 million years, shedding light on ancient oceans' chemistry and potential for storing carbon-free fuel. The study's findings could inform geologic studies and help identify subsurface locations to safely store hydrogen.
Engineers at Rice University have discovered a way to manipulate light at the nanoscale that surpasses the traditional Moss rule for optical materials. The researchers found that iron pyrite has a high refractive index, making it suitable for applications such as virtual reality and 3D displays.
Researchers have discovered a new type of 'invisible' gold hosted in nanoscale crystal defects within pyrite. The study provides insights into a potentially more environmentally friendly gold extraction method using selective leaching.
Researchers propose novel sulfur cycle model incorporating volatile organosulfur compounds to explain global occurrence of superheavy pyrite. The Cryogenian interglacial interval saw sulfidic oceans with pervasive VOSC generation, leading to vertical isotopic gradients and superheavy pyrite precipitation.
A new study questions the use of pyrite as a proxy for reconstructing oxygen levels in Earth's oceans. Researchers found that signals from pyrite in sediments are more controlled by sea level changes in shallow waters than other factors. This challenges current methods for understanding ocean chemistry and oxygenation.
Researchers have identified evidence of tropical cyclone impacts on Earth's surface, while new modeling reveals the optimal structural context for giant porphyry copper deposits. The study utilizes apatite fission-track thermochronology to constrain the episodic cooling and exhumation history of the Catskill Mountains in New York State.
A new multi-scale approach reveals that fracturing and erosion at the surface set the pace of oxidation in deep underground rocks. The team found that microorganisms can form on pyrite, but geologic processes slow the reaction, preventing acid accumulation.
Researchers have linked enriched chalcophile elements like copper and silver to the end-Cretaceous asteroid impact at the Yucatán Peninsula. These elements were likely supplied to the ocean through processes related to the impact, including iron oxides/hydroxides acting as a carrier phase.
Scientists cultivate chemical reactions similar to those found on Earth, using a novel strategy to study the origin of life. The system appears to consume its raw materials, forming feedback loops and self-propagating networks.
Researchers find that pyrite weathering played a significant role in ending glacial periods, releasing greenhouse gas CO2 into the atmosphere. The process helped to increase sea levels and warm the climate system, leading to rapid sea-level rise and the melting of glaciers.
A team of researchers has discovered that arsenic plays a crucial role in extracting gold from hot solutions and forms large gold deposits. The study found that the concentration of arsenic directly affects the formation of giant gold deposits, with higher arsenic levels leading to more frequent gold binding with pyrite.
Researchers found elevated sulfur acidification in glacial samples due to oxidized pyrite, leading to CO2 release into the atmosphere. This process may play a role in regulating Earth's climate over long cycles.
Researchers found microscopic signs of microbial activity in ancient rock formations from South Africa's Barberton greenstone belt, dated at 3.22 billion years old. The discovery suggests life took hold on land as early as 3.2 billion years ago.
Researchers found that chemical reactions between injected freshwater and fractured shale caused barium to leach directly from the rock. They also discovered a specific depth interval where barite grains were 'bitten' by pyrite, leading to barium mobilization in clay minerals.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University have discovered a way to overcome the limitations of nanoscale materials in batteries by using iron pyrite quantum dots. These ultrasmall nanoparticles allow for faster charging and longer cycle life, making them a promising solution for future battery technology.
Researchers identify defects in iron pyrite material as the source of inefficiency. The study provides hope for improving this promising material to make inexpensive yet efficient solar cells. By understanding the causes of this problem, scientists can design solutions to overcome it.
Researchers have discovered a new concept for particle separation, leveraging horizontal levitation of non-magnetic particles in a magnetic field. The technique exploits differences in density and magnetic susceptibility to separate glass and pyrite particles.
Researchers investigated thallium's geo-chemical speciation and partitioning during industrial processes. The study found that 40% of Tl in pyrite minerals is active, leading to significant environmental pollution with serious implications for aquatic systems.
Researchers found that pyrite, also known as fools' gold, plays a significant role in regulating atmospheric oxygen levels. The formation and burial of pyrite has been more important than previously thought, accounting for over 80% of sulfur removed from the ocean.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have discovered that iron pyrite, commonly known as 'Fool's Gold', has catalytic properties. The study focused on the reactions between iron pyrite and nitrogen oxides, an extremely poisonous class of compounds produced by car engines and industrial power plants.
Oregon State University researchers have found compounds that offer new, cheap and promising options for solar energy, using the abundant element pyrite. The materials have most of the advantages of pyrite but none of its problems, making them a promising alternative.
The discovery of oxygen-breathing bacteria on land is now estimated to have occurred around 2.48 billion years ago. This finding pushes the Great Oxidation Event forward in time, suggesting that aerobic respiration evolved earlier than previously thought.
Researchers recreate pyrite, dubbed fool's gold, to study geological events and gain insight into the Great Oxygenation Event. Bacteria's influence on early composition of pyrite is disputed, providing a clearer picture of the process.
Researchers have discovered that pyrite nanoparticles from hydrothermal vents are a significant source of iron for ocean life, with the ability to travel long distances and form a potentially important food source. These nanoparticles are dispersed into the ocean rather than falling to the bottom due to their small size.
Researchers have found that minute particles of pyrite from hydrothermal vents are a rich source of iron in the deep sea, providing a nutrient supplement for tiny plants and bacteria. This iron is released as these particles travel through the ocean, making them an important food source for life in the deep sea.
Researchers studied how microbes control chemistry on mineral surfaces and found that bacteria produce surface coatings made of iron sulfate and goethite. The results show a fundamental difference between individual organisms and groups in controlling the process.