Proposal
Banded iron formations (BIFs) are anomalous iron-rich chemical sedimentary and metamorphic deposits that occur in Precambrian strata around the world. Because they offer crucial insights into earth’s earliest oceanic, atmospheric, and biological conditions, conventional geologists have performed extensive research on these lithologies. However, dedicated creationist efforts to incorporate BIFs into a Biblical model of earth history have remained few and far between. The goal of this study is to raise the creation community’s awareness of general BIF characteristics. Georef, Google Scholar, and the Paleobiology Database were used to compile data regarding conventional age, geochemistry, geographical placement, depositional environment, and presence or absence of microfossils in these rock layers.
Three primary types of BIFs emerged: Algoma, Superior, and Rapitan. A successive progression from those interpreted to be deep-water basin, nearshore-tidal, and glacial depositional environment was observed upon decreasing BIF age, but specific formation conditions varied widely among the same type in different geographical regions. BIFs have been mapped on all continents, with some particularly massive formations correlating across today’s oceans. They often display chert, slate, and iron oxide lithologies, with common constituents including hematite, magnetite, stilpnomelane, greenalite, grunerite, jaspilite, and minnesotaite. Indications of biologic activity show up prevalently in Neoproterozoic Superior-type formations through trace element compositions, excellent preservation of cyanobacteria fossils and stromatolite-like mounds, and association with surrounding organic shales and phosphorite deposits. While researchers still debate whether biogenic or chemical process were more important in creating BIFs, conventional opinions are shifting to favor microbial formation mechanisms due to their rapidity. Rapid deposition of BIFs is proving necessary to explain the immense thicknesses of the deposits (Dickens 2017), excellent microfossil preservation, included sedimentary structures, and timing of later diagenetic events.
Traditional interpretations of BIFs have involved formation criteria such as a reducing Precambrian atmosphere, anoxic seafloor conditions, and slow chemical precipitation. However, more recent research is indicating that alternating ‘oxygen oasis’ zones in the ocean, hydrothermal processes, and microbial mediation actually may have been responsible for BIF genesis. These observations accompany a revolution in scientific understanding of the Great Oxygenation Event and its role in life’s origin story. For creationists, this is exciting news, and it should inspire renewed efforts to formulate a Biblical model for the rocks. Creation authors such as Snelling (2009), Clarey (2020), and Dickens (2018) have offered thoughts regarding their synthesis, classifying them as Creation Week rocks, initial Flood deposits, or a mixture of both. These varied interpretations indicate that much more work is needed to create a working model of BIF formation. A possible research opportunity would include whether the switch in depositional styles from the Archean Algoma-type to the Neoproterozoic Superior-type BIFs might indicate hydrothermal activity associated with Creation Week uplift, unique pre-Flood processes, or the very beginning of the Flood. Also, issues such as the BIFs’ disappearance in the Phanerozoic, their ambiguous formation mechanisms, microbial roles, and the GOE’s validity in earth history would also need to be addressed in a thorough Biblical model.
Clarey, T. 2020. Carved in Stone: Geological Evidence of the Worldwide Flood. Dallas, Texas: Institute for Creation Research.
Dickens, H. 2017. Banded iron formations formed rapidly. Journal of Creation 31, no. 2:14-16.
Dickens, H. 2018. North American Precambrian geology–A proposed young earth biblical model. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Creationism, vol. 8, pp. 389-403. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Creation Science Fellowship. 10.15385/jpicc.2018.8.1.34.
Snelling, A. A. 2009. Earth’s Catastrophic Past: Geology, Creation, and the Flood, pp. 362, 637. Dallas, Texas: Institute for Creation Research.
Keywords
iron formation, Precambrian, hydrothermal, microfossils, Great Oxygenation Event, Archean, Proterozoic
Submission Type
Poster
Copyright
© 2025 Johanna Wood. All rights reserved.
Included in
Biogeochemistry Commons, Geology Commons, Paleobiology Commons
Banded Iron Formations: What Are They, and Why Should We Care?
Banded iron formations (BIFs) are anomalous iron-rich chemical sedimentary and metamorphic deposits that occur in Precambrian strata around the world. Because they offer crucial insights into earth’s earliest oceanic, atmospheric, and biological conditions, conventional geologists have performed extensive research on these lithologies. However, dedicated creationist efforts to incorporate BIFs into a Biblical model of earth history have remained few and far between. The goal of this study is to raise the creation community’s awareness of general BIF characteristics. Georef, Google Scholar, and the Paleobiology Database were used to compile data regarding conventional age, geochemistry, geographical placement, depositional environment, and presence or absence of microfossils in these rock layers.
Three primary types of BIFs emerged: Algoma, Superior, and Rapitan. A successive progression from those interpreted to be deep-water basin, nearshore-tidal, and glacial depositional environment was observed upon decreasing BIF age, but specific formation conditions varied widely among the same type in different geographical regions. BIFs have been mapped on all continents, with some particularly massive formations correlating across today’s oceans. They often display chert, slate, and iron oxide lithologies, with common constituents including hematite, magnetite, stilpnomelane, greenalite, grunerite, jaspilite, and minnesotaite. Indications of biologic activity show up prevalently in Neoproterozoic Superior-type formations through trace element compositions, excellent preservation of cyanobacteria fossils and stromatolite-like mounds, and association with surrounding organic shales and phosphorite deposits. While researchers still debate whether biogenic or chemical process were more important in creating BIFs, conventional opinions are shifting to favor microbial formation mechanisms due to their rapidity. Rapid deposition of BIFs is proving necessary to explain the immense thicknesses of the deposits (Dickens 2017), excellent microfossil preservation, included sedimentary structures, and timing of later diagenetic events.
Traditional interpretations of BIFs have involved formation criteria such as a reducing Precambrian atmosphere, anoxic seafloor conditions, and slow chemical precipitation. However, more recent research is indicating that alternating ‘oxygen oasis’ zones in the ocean, hydrothermal processes, and microbial mediation actually may have been responsible for BIF genesis. These observations accompany a revolution in scientific understanding of the Great Oxygenation Event and its role in life’s origin story. For creationists, this is exciting news, and it should inspire renewed efforts to formulate a Biblical model for the rocks. Creation authors such as Snelling (2009), Clarey (2020), and Dickens (2018) have offered thoughts regarding their synthesis, classifying them as Creation Week rocks, initial Flood deposits, or a mixture of both. These varied interpretations indicate that much more work is needed to create a working model of BIF formation. A possible research opportunity would include whether the switch in depositional styles from the Archean Algoma-type to the Neoproterozoic Superior-type BIFs might indicate hydrothermal activity associated with Creation Week uplift, unique pre-Flood processes, or the very beginning of the Flood. Also, issues such as the BIFs’ disappearance in the Phanerozoic, their ambiguous formation mechanisms, microbial roles, and the GOE’s validity in earth history would also need to be addressed in a thorough Biblical model.
Clarey, T. 2020. Carved in Stone: Geological Evidence of the Worldwide Flood. Dallas, Texas: Institute for Creation Research.
Dickens, H. 2017. Banded iron formations formed rapidly. Journal of Creation 31, no. 2:14-16.
Dickens, H. 2018. North American Precambrian geology–A proposed young earth biblical model. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Creationism, vol. 8, pp. 389-403. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Creation Science Fellowship. 10.15385/jpicc.2018.8.1.34.
Snelling, A. A. 2009. Earth’s Catastrophic Past: Geology, Creation, and the Flood, pp. 362, 637. Dallas, Texas: Institute for Creation Research.