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Name: Kate B.
Status: Student
Age: 20s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: February 9, 2004
Question:
How does Thiobacillus ferrooxidans change lime to gypsum?


Replies:
The vast majority of gypsum is formed as a precipitate of seawater. However, it is apparently possible for this microbe to form gypsum (hydrated calcium sulfate) from limestone (calcium carbonate) under certain conditions. But how it does it is more a question for a chemist or biologist than a geologist or civil engineer (or at least this geologist/civil engineer!)

Thanks,
Andy Johnson


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