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Trace fossils as revealed by staining: a light microscope/scanning electron microscope study of the ancient microbiota from carbonate matrix
Author(s) -
Karkhanis Suresh N.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
journal of microscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0022-2720
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2818.1981.tb01272.x
Subject(s) - authigenic , carbonate , proterozoic , staining , petrography , geology , mineralogy , carbonate minerals , archean , chemistry , electron microscope , geochemistry , paleontology , sedimentary rock , biology , calcite , optics , genetics , organic chemistry , tectonics , physics
SUMMARY Previously invisible fossil remains of ancient iron‐bearing microbiota from the carbonate matrix have been detected by staining the petrographic thin sections by weakly acidic solutions of potassium ferricyanide. The chemical staining technique imparts a deep blue colour—Turnbull's blue—in the presence of ferrous iron to these fossil remains, which are considered to be an example of authigenic preservation process, whereby the microbiota are preserved as carbonate molds or casts. The technique was found to be suitable for Proterozoic rocks and has been further extended to Archaean rocks. Hence its universality.