Oxygen isotope variations in phosphate of biogenic apatites, II. Phosphorite rocks

Aldo Shemesh*, Yehoshua Kolodny, Boaz Luz

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

145 Scopus citations

Abstract

Phosphorites from sedimentary sequences ranging in age from Archaean to Recent were analysed for δ18O in both the PO418Op) and CO318Oc) in the apatite lattice. The oxygen isotope record is considerably better preserved in phosphates than in either carbonates or cherts. The use of the Longinelli and Nuti [8] temperature equation yields temperatures for Recent phosphorites that are in good agreement with those measured in the field. The δ18Op values of ancient phosphorites decrease with increasing age. These changes with time are not likely to be due to post-depositional exchange. Changes in δ18O values of seawater and variations of temperature with time can account for the δ18Op time trend, but the latter explanation is preferred. In Ancient phosphorites δ18Oc in structurally bound carbonate in apatite is not a reliable geochemical indicator.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)405-416
Number of pages12
JournalEarth and Planetary Science Letters
Volume64
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 1983

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