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Loss of boron from shells during weathering and possible implications for the determination of palaeosalinity

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Abstract

THE abundance of boron in sediments is frequently taken as an indication of palaeosalinity1–5. Because boron is readily absorbed by clay minerals, determinations are generally undertaken on argillaceous sediments, particularly those containing abundant illite, though some analyses are carried out on calcareous sediments. One of the basic assumptions of the boron technique for the determination of palaeosalinity is that there is little or no mobility of boron after deposition, as any mobility might lead to enrichment or depletion of the original boron, and an unreliable value for the palaeosalinity

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

    PETER J. COOK

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  1. PETER J. COOK
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COOK, P. Loss of boron from shells during weathering and possible implications for the determination of palaeosalinity. Nature 268, 426–427 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/268426a0

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