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Quartz Var Eisenkiesel With Fossil Fungi Mycelium

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CLB83010

Quartz Var Eisenkiesel With Fossil Fungi Mycelium

Pseudomorph

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Description
Locality: 
Hohenlimburg Quarry, Oege, Hagen, Arnsberg, North Rhine - Westphalia, Germany
Size Range: 
Miniature (4.5-7 cm)
Size: 
6.8 × 5.8 × 3.6 cm
Description

After some research I decided to let go of another interesting specimen of those rare fossil fungi mycelium in eisenkiesel crystals. This is one of the best specimen showing clearly the mycelium fibres in many of the yellow eisenkiesel crystals. Also this one s very aesthetic and simply beautiful.

As far as I know up to date the only localities worldwide for this material are in the Sauerland area - "type locality" Warstein. Here's an extract from a German publication: Fossile Pilze in Eisen-Stromatolithen von Warstein (Rheinisches Schiefergebirge) Fossil fungi in iron stromatolites from Warstein (Rhenish Massif, Northwestern Germany) Zeitschrift Facies Verlag Springer Berlin / Heidelberg ISSN 0172-9179 (Print) 1612-4820 (Online) Heft Volume 7, Number 1 / Dezember 1982 DOI 10.1007/BF02537228 Seiten 237-259 Fachgebiete Geo- und Umweltwissenschaften Fossil iron stromatolites, formed by fungi, have been found near Warstein, W. Germany. The stromatolitic and massive ferruginous quartzes are always confined to karstic hollow molds of the Devonian "Massenkalk".

The few autochthonous occurrences show that these are chalcedony-quartz-silicifations of mainly ac-oriented, corrosively widened cracks. A mineralization temperature of about 120°C was found by microthermometrical measurements. Druses in ferruginous quartz sometimes carry clear, prismatic to pseudocubic quartzes embedding fungal mycelia. The fungal filaments are generally encrusted with goethite and appear in stromatolitic, massive and patch-like forms. The fungi can be referred to the order Mucorales and the genera Chaetomium, Preussia, and Papulaspora. An Oligocene/Miocene age is presumed according to the development of the karst, the mineral paragenesis, and microthermometrical measurements. The fungal mycelia grew on cracks and other hollow molds of the Devonian "Massenkalk" (massive reef limestones) in the vadose zone. Percolating water transported organic C originating from the soil-/sedimentary cover as a substratum for the fungi as well as chelated and free Fe2+ and colloidal Fe3+. Iron was precipitated on the cell walls of the fungal filaments, and thus further precipitation was initiated. Repending from the Eh-pH-values, rhythmic, hydrolytically precipitated, colloidal, and iron-rich layers formed. Gradual dehydration finally led to the formation of goethite. Gel splits and settling structures have often been observed in these regions. The silicification starting within this phase conserved the partially rather fragile structures. The iron stromatolites of Warstein are probably the first examples of fossil biogenic, non-photosynthetic laminites. These biogenic structures within the iron-quartz sequences caused by microbial action show amazing parallels to rocks of the Precambrian cherty banded-iron formation (BIF).Worldwide singular geological phenomenon in the Sauerland area. Scientific publication: Fossil fungi in iron stromatolites from Warstein (Rhenish Massif, Northwestern Germany) Zeitschrift Facies, Verlag Springer Berlin / Heidelberg ISSN 0172-9179 (Print) 1612-4820 (Online) Heft Volume 7, Number 1 / Dezember 1982.

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Mineral Data
What's on the rock

Quartz

Formula: 
SiO2
Strunz: 
4.DA.05
Crystal System: 
Trigonal
Hardness: 
7.0
Streak: 
White

Eisenkiesel

Variety Of: 

Quartz

Formula: 
SiO2
Strunz: 
4.DA.05
Hardness: 
7.0

Fungi

Variety Of: 

Organic

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