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Evidence from early Proterozoic anhydrite for sulphur isotopic partitioning in Precambrian oceans

Nature volume 304, pages 54–56 (1983)Cite this article

Abstract

Relative to meteoritic sulphur, sulphur in the contemporary exogenic cycle is marked by a depletion of 34S in biogenic sulphide that is balanced by excess 34S in sulphate of the oceans and evaporites1,2. The onset of this isotopic partitioning during the Precambrian required sulphate in the ocean in sufficient concentration to permit significant isotopic fractionation during biogenic reduction3,4; and the evolution of sulphate-reducing bacteria5–7. The conclusion that partitioning existed at 2,300 Myr has been derived from strongly 34S-depleted sedimentary sulphide of this age from South Africa4. I report here on 34S-enriched, stratiform, nodular anhydrite of similar age from Canada, which supports partitioning at this time. Strontium isotope data on these samples indicate that the anhydrite was derived from continental brines, possibly in the inland portion of a continental sabkha. This requires that the reported enrichment in 34S be considered a minimum for seawater sulphate at 2,300 Myr.

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  1. Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1A 0E8

    E. M. Cameron

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Cameron, E. Evidence from early Proterozoic anhydrite for sulphur isotopic partitioning in Precambrian oceans. Nature 304, 54–56 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/304054a0

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