Quantifying physical characteristics of granular cherty material to determine transport history and depositional setting of iron formation from the ~1.9 Ga Mesabi Iron Range, MN

Abstract

Iron formations along the Mesabi Range (Figure 1) in Minnesota are studied for various economic reasons, but for the purpose of this project, we focus on the physical properties of the individual grains in order to decipher information linked to the depositional environment. One missing component to our current understanding of iron formation deposition is the depth of the water, and energy it took to move the sediments that make up the iron formations. The purpose of this research project is to examine iron formation thin sections, and quantify the basic shape and size parameters of the granular material in order to infer depositional conditions within the Biwabik Iron Formation on the Mesabi Range in Minnesota.