Individual calcareous algae were known in Riphean. Their mass distribution is connected to the beginning of Cambrian. Despite of a long history of study, the nature of this group long time remained not clear. The new unique finds of algae from East Sayan region have shown, that primary carbonate thallus disappeared in the process of fossilization, and after it the calcareous cover formed by association of bacteria and cyanobacteria only.