Search for iridium abundance anomalies at two Late Cambrian biomere boundaries in western Utah

Journal Article · Fri Jan 13 00:00:00 EST 1984 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.223.4632.163· OSTI ID:6473850

Orth, C J; Knight, J D; Quintana, L R; Gilmore, J S; Palmer, A R

Iridium concentrations have been measured in samples taken across two Late Cambrian biomere boundaries (crisis zones) in search of evidence for possible elemental abundance anomalies similar to the one observed at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary. Sampling was performed in uplifted marine limestone deposits in the House Range of western Utah. Although the two trilobite-brachiopod extinction boundaries could be assigned to +/- 4 millimeters of vertical section by laboratory examination of the rocks, only background amounts of iridium (2 x 10/sup -12/ to 17 x 10/sup -12/ gram per gram of whole rock) were observed.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., New Mexico
• OSTI ID: 6473850
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Vol. 223
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
IRIDIUM
ABUNDANCE
LIMESTONE
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
UTAH
CAMBRIAN PERIOD
EXPLORATION
ORE COMPOSITION
CARBONATE ROCKS
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION VIII
GEOLOGIC AGES
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
PALEOZOIC ERA
PLATINUM METALS
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA
290400* - Energy Planning & Policy- Energy Resources