Original paper
Phosphate minerals from the Bounty Islands, South Pacific Ocean
Gregory, M. R.; Rodgers, K. A.
Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie - Abhandlungen Band 160 Heft 2 (1989), p. 117 - 131
30 references
published: Mar 23, 1989
DOI: 10.1127/njma/160/1989/117
ArtNo. ESP154016002001, Price: 29.00 €
Abstract
In spring, bare granodioritic rocks forming the Bounty Islands become thickly splattered in fresh excreta from large breeding colonies of birds and seals. Much of the slurry is washed away in winter storms but the rock surface has become encrusted with a residual, thin, patchy, polished, reptoid-like layer of sodium carbonate-hydroxy apatite, probably francolite var. kurskite. Microprobe and infra-red analyses show minor and variable amounts of sulphate present. Pustulose masses up to 5 cm dia. cluster about brackish pools and show a multilamellar, stromatolitic structure. These consist of apatite and struvite with probable minor wardite and ardealite. No data exists on the chemical or microbial activities of the pools or dung slurry.
Keywords
Bounty Islands • guano • apatite • francolite • kurskite • wardite • struvite • ardealite • microbial activity