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Ferruginous Microspherules in Bauxite at Maochang, Guizhou Province, China: Products of Microbe‐Pyrite Interaction?

Abstract  The Maochang bauxite in Guizhou Province is one of the important aluminum ore deposits in southwestern China. Ferruginous spherules, measuring about a few microns across, were found in the transitional layer of the deposit. The EDS and XRD results show that the microspherules are composed mostly of iron (hydr)oxide minerals (goethite) with only weak presence of aluminum and silicon. Occasionally, some pyrite micrograins with dissolved surface are found associated with goethite within the spherules. It is thus suggested that microspherules are linked to pyrite oxidization. It is also thought that microbial activities contribute not only to pyrite oxidization, but also to ball‐like assemblage of the iron (hydr)oxides. The mechanism of the formation of ferruginous microspherules is also believed to be important in studying geomicrobiology of bauxite.