Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Holocene phosphorite on the East Australian continental margin

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

Carbonate–fluorapatite, the major component of marine phosphorite, forms within organic-rich diatomaceous sediments in present day conditions along the continental margin of Peru–Chile and South-West Africa (Namibia)1–4. Both of these areas are ‘West-Coast’ phosphogenic provinces5,6, characterized by an eastern boundary current, with strong coastal upwelling and associated high organic productivity. We report here the first radiometric evidence supporting Holocene apatite formation in an ‘East-Coast’ phosphogenic province, the East Australian continental margin, an area of only moderate seasonal upwelling7,8.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Baturin, G. N., Merkulova, K. I. & Chalov, P. I. Mar. Geol. 13, M37–M41 (1972).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Veeh, H. H., Burnett, W. C. & Soutar, A. Science 181, 844–845 (1973).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Veeh, H. H., Calvert, S. E. & Price, N. B. Mar. Chem. 2, 189–202 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Burnett, W. C. & Veeh, H. H. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 41, 755–764 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. McKelvey, V. E. U.S. geol. Surv. Bull. 1252-D, 1–21 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  6. McKelvey, V. E. & Wang, F. H. U.S. geol. Surv.Misc. Geol. Inv. Map. 1–632 (1969).

  7. Rochford, D. J. Div. Fish. Oceanogr. Tech. Pap. No. 33 (CSIRO, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Rochford, D. J. Aust. J. mar. Freshwat. Res. 26, 233–243 (1975).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Jones, H. A., Davies, P. J. & Marshall, J. F. J. geol. Soc. Aust. 22, 71–78 (1975).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Marshall, J. F. BMR J. Aust. Geol. Geophys. 4, 281–288 (1979).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Boland, F. M. & Hamon, B. V. Deep Sea Res. 17, 777–794 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Godfrey, J. S., Cresswell, G. R., Golding, T. J., Pearce, A. F. & Boyd, R. J. phys. Oceanogr. 10, 430–440 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Von der Borch, C. C. J. geol. Soc. Aust. 16, 755–759 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Kress, A. G. & Veeh, H. H. Mar. Geol. 36, 143–157 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Bushinsky, G. I. Isr. Progr. Sci. Trans. Jerus. (1969).

  16. Clarke, R. S. & Altschuler, A. S. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 13, 127–142 (1958).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Kolodny, Y. & Kaplan, I. R. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 34, 324 (1970).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Burnett, W. C., Veeh, H. H. & Soutar, A. SEPM Spec. publ. (in the press).

  19. Pevear, D. R. Econ. Geol. 61, 251–256 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, South Australia, 5042, Australia

    G. W. O'Brien & H. H. Veeh

Authors
  1. G. W. O'Brien
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. H. Veeh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

O'Brien, G., Veeh, H. Holocene phosphorite on the East Australian continental margin. Nature 288, 690–692 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/288690a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/288690a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation