Morphoanalysis of Bacterially Precipitated Subaqueous Calcium Carbonate from Weebubbie Cave, Australia

Abstract

In this article, we present a previously unreported morphology of bacterially precipitated calcite (determined using XRD, FTIR, and SAED) occurring subaqueously in Weebubbie Cave. Observations using FESEM and TEM revealed spindle-shaped crystals with curved [hk.0] faces lying parallel to the c-axis. Calcite precipitated under conditions designed to mimic the inorganic solution chemistry of the cave revealed a different morphology. These differences between the crystals suggest that the formation of the cave crystals is a consequence of biologically activity.

Keywords:

• Biomineral Calcite Crystal Morphology Nullarbor Caves