The Vend-Early Cambrian phosphorite stockpiles compose about 20% ofthe world's phosphorites. The most extensive ancient phosphorite deposits are located in Central Asia, in South China, Northern Mongolia (Khubsugul) and South Kazakhstan (Karatau). According to palaeomagnetic data, at the beginning of the Cambrian these regions were restricted to low latitudes and, consequently, to the equatorial climatic belt. The time of accumulation of the most of above mentioned deposits falls within the Tommotian, which is the earliest stage of the Early Cambrian. These deposits are dated using the fossils incorporated in the phosphorites. We studied the structure of the Khubsugul phosphorites (I). Khubsugul phosphorites are represented by granular or structureless aphanite rocks refered to microgramed type. Their genesis is often related to chemical phosphorus precipitation from level bottom waters in the vicinity ofupwelling zones (2).

Date Published: 6 July 1998
PDF: 4 pages
Proc. SPIE 3441, Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology, (6 July 1998); doi: 10.1117/12.319835

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3441:
Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology
Richard B. Hoover, Editor(s)