Lower Riphean algal microbiota of the Kyutingde formation of the Olenek elevation

One of reference sections of the Riphean in Russia is located in the Olenek elevation In the north of the Siberian Platform. This section is rich in s tromatolites. Its specific feature is abundance of glauconite virtually in all terrigenous strata from subface to roof, which earlier permitted constr uction of the most complete, continuous from Lower to Upper Riphean, scale of radiological K-Ar datings. In the 1980s, detailed stratigraphic studies of the Lower Riphean section of the Olenek elevation were carried out. In t he uppermost beds of the section (silicified stromatolites in the upper lay ers of the Kyutingde Formation), one of the richest algal microbiotas of Lo wer Riphean age was collected. It occurs above the layers dated at 1330 Ma, in a 60 km long band of carbonate rocks of the Kyutingde Formation. In the basins of the Kyutingde and Sololi Rivers six occurrences of microfossils were found. The latter are represented mainly by coccoid species but also i nclude several morphologically specific eucaryotic species. A total of 41 s pecies of 23 genera were recognized in the collection.