簡介:帶狀鐵岩(Banded ironstone或Banded iron)是由薄層磁鐵礦或赤鐵礦等氧化鐵反覆堆疊,並夾雜帶狀頁岩或燧石所組成,其構成的岩層稱為帶狀鐵岩層(Banded ironstone formations,簡稱BIFs),主要形成年代以太古代(Archean)和元古代早期(early Proterozoic)為主,是屬於一種古老的沈積岩。 帶狀鐵岩的形成乃是在地球形成初期,地表並沒有氧氣,大氣充滿著二氧化碳和甲烷,海洋中則溶解了由岩漿作用所帶來的大量還原鐵(二價鐵)。大約在三十多億年前,藍藻細菌(Cyanobacteria)和藍綠藻(Blue-green algae)的出現,不但改變了大氣組成,同時也使海洋發生巨大的變化。 行光合作用的藍藻細菌和藍綠藻,呼吸二氧化碳並釋放出氧氣,使得海洋和大氣的含氧量逐漸增加,並將溶解在海水中的還原鐵氧化形成三價鐵而沈澱出磁鐵礦和赤鐵礦。從三十多億年前開始,海床上便堆積起紅褐色的鐵礦,在歷經二十億年的悠悠歲月,直到海洋中大部分鐵質氧化耗盡而稍歇。如今此種厚達數百公尺的帶狀鐵岩床,遍布全球各地,綿延數千公里,為現今世界上最重要的鐵礦來源。Banded IronstoneIntroductionBanded ironstone (or banded iron) is formed by repeated stacking of thin layers of iron oxide minerals, such as magnetites and hematites, with occasional inclusions of shales or chert rocks. The resulting rock formations are called banded ironstone formations (BIFs). These rocks are ancient sedimentary rocks formed in the Archean and early Proterozoic Era. The formations of these banded iron layers can be dated back to the dawn of Earth's formation, when there were no oxygen on the surface and the atmosphere is full of carbon dioxide and methane. The primordial ocean contains large amounts of dissolved reduced iron (Fe2