Increased biomass and carbon burial 2 billion years ago triggered mountain building

The work was partially supported by NERC grant NE/M010953/1. The manuscript benefitted by advice from Michael Brown and Ross Mitchell.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Metalliferous Biosignatures for Deep Subsurface Microbial Activity

Acknowledgments We thank the British Geological Survey (BGS) for the provision of samples and the Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) grant (ST/L001233/1) for PhD funding which aided this project. Research on selenium in reduction spheroids was also supported by NERC grants (NE/L001764/1 and NE/ M010953/1). The University of Aberdeen Raman facility was funded by the BBSRC. We also thank John Still for invaluable technical assistance.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Tellurium and selenium in Mesoproterozoic red beds

Acknowledgements This work was supported by the NERC under Grant NE/L001764/1. We are grateful to Martin Bregman, Philip Fralick, and Phyllis Hargrave for provision of samples. David Fox and Monica leGras (CSIRO), John Still and Dave Bellis (University of Aberdeen) provided specialised technical assistance. We are grateful for three critical reviews that helped to improve the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Raman spectroscopy of shocked gypsum from a meteorite impact crater

Acknowledgements This work was funded by STFC grant ST/L001233/1. The University of Aberdeen Raman facility was funded by the BBSRC grant BBC5125101. Thanks to Jo Duncan for XRD assistance.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Graphite from Palaeoproterozoic enhanced carbon burial, and its metallogenic legacy

Acknowledgements This project is in support of the NERC SoS (Security of Supply of Critical Elements) programme, under Grant NE/M010953/1. C. Taylor, J. Johnston and J. Bowie provided skilled technical help. We are most grateful to H. Gautneb and E. Lynch for valuable review.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Mixed metamorphic and fluid graphite deposition in Palaeoproterozoic supracrustal rocks of the Lewisian Complex, NW Scotland

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Graphitic samples in Scotland were collected with the help of A. Wright, J. Armstrong and M. Duffy. Samples beyond Scotland were kindly supplied by the Canadian Museum of Nature (Saglek Bay sample 31445, Kimmirut samples 31236, 31274), the Smithsonian Museum (Akuliaruseq sample 127248), the British Museum (Skaland sample BM 1996,149), Leading Edge Materials Corp. (Woxna) and the National Museum of Scotland (Pargas sample G.2007.72.2). This work was partly supported by NERC grant NE/M010953/1. Electron Microscopy was performed with the help of J. Still in the ACEMAC Facility at the University of Aberdeen, and Raman spectroscopy was aided by D. Muirhead. The manuscript benefitted from constructive review by H. Dill and the Terra Nova editorial staff. The authors have no conflicts of interest.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Selenium Enrichment in Carboniferous Shales, Britain and Ireland : Problem or Opportunity for Shale Gas Extraction?

Research was partly supported by NERC grants (NE/L001764/1 and NE/M010953/1). Mrs. A. Sandison provided skilled technical support. Barnett Shale was kindly provided by Hu Qinhong. The manuscript was improved by the helpful comments of a reviewer.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Enhanced microbial activity in carbon-rich pillow lavas, Ordovician, Great Britain and Ireland

Date of acceptance: 09/07/2015 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A. Sandison and C. Taylor provided skilled technical support. Boyce is funded by Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) support of the Isotope Community Support Facility at the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre. NERC supported the project through facility grant IP-1235- 0511. The Raman spectroscopy facility at the University of Aberdeen is funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. We are grateful to M. Feely, G. Purvis, and an anonymous reviewer for helpful criticism.Peer reviewedPostprin

Surface mineral crusts : a potential strategy for sampling for evidence of life on Mars

Research was under the auspices of the NASA Haughton-Mars Project. J. Whelan is acknowledged for photomicrographs taken from undergraduate laboratory projects. This work was funded by STFC grant ST/L001233/1. The University of Aberdeen Raman facility was funded by the BBSRC grant BBC5125101.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The mechanisms and drivers of lithification in slag‐dominated artificial ground

Unconsolidated artificial ground is an ever-increasing feature on the Earth's surface but it poses various challenges such as pollutant release and ground instability. The process of lithification could be an important factor in changing the properties of artificial ground and ameliorating these challenges. In this study, a lithified deposit of a furnace slag associated with a former iron and steel works in Scotland was analysed to determine the mechanisms and drivers of lithification. Scanning Electron Microscope analysis showed that Ca leached from around the edges of clasts of slag through reaction of the chemically unstable slag with water from an adjacent water body. Dissolution of Ca (and OH-) from the slag caused the water in contact with the slag to become hyperalkaline, facilitating ingassing and hydroxylation of CO2 from the atmosphere (fingerprinted through carbon isotope analysis). Reaction of the dissolved Ca and CO2 led to precipitation of calcite. Scanning Electron Microscope analysis showed the calcite is distributed between slag clasts, forming rims around clasts and cementing clasts together into a solid rock-like mass. Understanding the mechanisms and drivers of lithification in artificial ground will be important, given its widespread nature particularly in urban areas where artificial ground is the substrate of most development