Galena crystallization and the origin of sulfur in the Oklo and Bangombe natural reactors: the effects of ca. 900 Ma thermal event

Galena in the ca. 1950 Ma old natural fossil fission reactors in Gabon crystallized sometime between 980 Ma and 750 Ma during a period of regional extension and the intrusion of a dolerite dyke swarm. The S isotopic composition of galena, containing radiogenic Pb from uraninite, gives information about the origin of the S. Results from ion microprobe analyses of galena from the reactor zones indicate that S mainly originates from the surrounding sediment. Galena in a thin, altered dolerite dyke also contains non-magmatic S. The presented data gives no positive evidence for the involvement of magmatic S during the ca. 900 Ma galena crystallisation, however, the possibility cannot be ruled out. Copyright (2001) Material Research Society