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Geyserite

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Geyserite from Iceland

Geyserite is a form of opaline silica that is often found around hot springs and geysers. It is sometimes referred to as sinter. Botryoidal geyserite is known as fiorite.

In May 2017, evidence of the earliest known life on land may have been found in 3.48-billion-year-old geyserite uncovered in the Pilbara Craton of Western Australia.[1][2]

Geyserite basin at Chinese Spring, Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone

See also

References

  1. ^ Staff (9 May 2017). "Oldest evidence of life on land found in 3.48-billion-year-old Australian rocks". Phys.org. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  2. ^ Djokic, Tara; Van Kranendonk, Martin J.; Campbell, Kathleen A.; Walter, Malcolm R.; Ward, Colin R. (9 May 2017). "Earliest signs of life on land preserved in ca. 3.5 Ga hot spring deposits". Nature Communications. 8: 15263. doi:10.1038/ncomms15263. PMC 5436104. PMID 28486437.