Acta Geologica Hungarica
Volume/Issue:
Volume 48: Issue 3
Microbial control on the mineralogy of Arief El Naqa phosphates, Egypt
Authors:
Ibtehal F. Abdel Rahman Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University Ismailia, Egypt

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and
Morad †Gh. Mansour Nuclear Materials Authority, El Maady Cairo, Egypt

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Pages:
339–350
Online Publication Date:
02 Dec 2005
Publication Date:
01 Nov 2005
Article Category:
Research Article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1556/ageol.48.2005.3.6
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SEM examination of the pelletal phosphates from the Upper Cretaceous of Arief El Naqa in eastern Sinai reveals the presence of bacterial relics and globular clusters of phosphate, iron oxyhydroxides and halite. All have been identified only within cavities and in the phosphatic cement around phosphate particles. These microbial structures were, therefore, produced by the aid of microorganisms in association with infiltrating meteoric water from the nearby vegetation cover. They were able to accelerate the dissolution of pyrite and the leaching of phosphate particles to use phosphorus as a desired nutrient. Phosphate globular clusters and goethite framboids were formed as the result of crystal growth of the biologically precipitated precursor phases. Bacteria were simply available nucleation sites for binding of these nanoparticles. Halite clusters were also identified in a similar setting and show a co-genetic relationship with other types of microstructures. Therefore, the role of microorganisms in the formation of halite microstructures is suggested, but its inorganic origin cannot be totally excluded.

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Cover Acta Geologica Hungarica
Acta Geologica Hungarica
Print ISSN:
0236-5278
Online ISSN:
1588-2594

Acta Geologica Hungarica
Language English
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Foundation		 1952
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Founder Magyar Tudományos Akadémia  
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Address		 H-1051 Budapest, Hungary, Széchenyi István tér 9.
Publisher Akadémiai Kiadó
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ISSN 0236-5278 (Print)
ISSN 1588-2594 (Online)

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