Strategic and rare elements in Cretaceous-Cenozoic cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts from seamounts in the Canary Island Seamount Province (northeastern tropical Atlantic)

Marino, Egidio; González, Francisco Javier; Somoza, Luı́s; Lunar, Rosario; Ortega, Loréna; Vázquez, Juan Tomás; Reyes, Jesús; Bellido, Eva

doi:10.1016/j.oregeorev.2016.10.005

Cited by 87 publications

(77 citation statements)

References 114 publications

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“…This suggests the compositional difference observed between the two textures is primarily a function of dilution. Although this agrees with Marino et al [19], who suggest that cuspate textures grow faster and are depleted in Mn and Co relative to the pillared sections, we propose that the oxide layers probably grow at similar rates, but the foraminifera accumulate quickly relative to a similar thickness of FeMn, increasing the overall crust thickness but not the thickness of the oxides themselves. Smaller variations in the Fe/Mn ratio in areas of relatively low Ca areas are commonly observed as a result of environmental variations in water chemistry, dust input, and bottom currents [30].…”

Section: Textural Variation Detrital Input and Deposit Gradesupporting

confidence: 89%

“…The lack of disturbance or breakage of the actual shells suggests that this environment was relatively low energy. Marino et al [19] observed similar textures in their Tropic Seamount samples and suggested that they are correlated with increased primary productivity as a result of upwelling at 24.5 Ma, 22−20 Ma, and 19−16 Ma. The measurements undertaken in this study lack the resolution to detect all the events identified by Marino et al [19], although it is hard to correlate any of our samples with their observations.…”

Section: Texture Growth Modes and Environmentmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…The maximum measured bulk rock Co concentration from the SO83 samples was 0.85%. Other analyses of Tropic Seamount crusts [19] found that the FeMn crusts at Tropic Seamount were composed primarily of goethite and δ-MnO 2 with minor amounts of calcite and quartz. Phosphatized samples consisting primarily of carbonate fluorapatite were also dredged off the eastern flank.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…Phosphatized samples consisting primarily of carbonate fluorapatite were also dredged off the eastern flank. Measured bulk contents were 13-28 wt% Fe, [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] wt% Mn, and 0-0.72 wt% Co. Growth rates estimated using the Co-chronometer were between 1.19 mm/Ma and 2.66 mm/Ma [19]. Bathymetry data is taken from GEBCO [27].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessment of the Mineral Resource Potential of Atlantic Ferromanganese Crusts Based on Their Growth History, Microstructure, and Texture

et al. 2018

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Abstract:The decarbonisation of our energy supply is reliant on new technologies that are raw material intensive and will require a significant increase in the production of metals to sustain them. Ferromanganese (FeMn) crusts are seafloor precipitates, enriched in metals such as cobalt and tellurium, both of which have a predicted future demand above current production rates. In this study, we investigate the texture and composition of FeMn crusts on Tropic Seamount, a typical Atlantic guyot off the coast of western Africa, as a basis for assessing the future mineral resource potential of Atlantic Seamounts. The majority of the summit is flat and covered by FeMn crusts with average thicknesses of 3-4 cm. The crusts are characterized by two dominant textures consisting of either massive pillared growth or more chaotic, cuspate sections of FeMn oxides, with an increased proportion of detrital and organic material. The Fe, Mn, and Co contents in the FeMn oxide layers are not affected by texture. However, detrital material and bioclasts can form about 50% of cuspate areas, and the dilution effect of this entrained material considerably reduces the Fe, Mn, and Co concentrations if the bulk samples are analyzed. Whilst Tropic Seamount meets many of the prerequisites for a crust mining area, the thickness of the crusts and their average metal composition means extraction is unlikely to be viable in the near future. The ability to exploit more difficult terrains or multiple, closely spaced edifices would make economic feasibility more likely.

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Section: Textural Variation Detrital Input and Deposit Gradesupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Texture Growth Modes and Environmentmentioning

confidence: 76%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessment of the Mineral Resource Potential of Atlantic Ferromanganese Crusts Based on Their Growth History, Microstructure, and Texture

et al. 2018

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“…Some common substitutions occurring in apatites are as follows [105,106]: Sr 2+ , Mn 2+ , Fe 2+ , REE and Y 3+ , Na + ↔ Ca 2+ ; Si 4+ , As 5+ , S 6+ and C 4+ ↔ P 5+ ; Cl − and OH − ↔ F − ; 2Ca 2+ ↔ Na + + REE 3+ and Ca 2+ + P 5+ ↔ REE 3+ + Si 4+ . Phosphatization and precipitation of Fe-Mn oxyhydroxides may be indicators for change of hydrodynamic condition, oxygenated, fresh deep-water inflows or even upwelling currents [105,107].…”

Section: Phosphatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mineralogy of Cobalt-Rich Ferromanganese Crusts from the Perth Abyssal Plain (E Indian Ocean)

et al. 2019

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Mineralogy of phosphatized and zeolitized hydrogenous cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts from Dirck Hartog Ridge (DHR), the Perth Abyssal Plain (PAP), formed on an altered basaltic substrate, is described. Detail studies of crusts were conducted using optical transmitted light microscopy, X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRD) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF), Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) and Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA). The major Fe-Mn mineral phases that form DHR crusts are low-crystalline vernadite, asbolane and a feroxyhyte-ferrihydrite mixture. Accessory minerals are Ca-hydroxyapatite, zeolites (Na-phillipsite, chabazite, heulandite-clinoptilolite), glauconite and several clay minerals (Fe-smectite, nontronite, celadonite) are identified in the basalt-crust border zone. The highest Ni, Cu and Co contents are observed in asbolane and Mn-(Fe) vernadite. There is significant enrichment of Ti in feroxyhyte−ferrihydrite and vernadite. The highest rare earth element (REE) content is measured in the phosphate minerals, less in phyllosilicates and Na-phillipsite. The geochemical composition of minerals in the DHR crusts supports the formation of crusts by initial alteration, phosphatization and zeolitization of the substrate basalts followed by oscillatory Fe-Mn oxyhydroxides precipitation of hydrogenous vernadite (oxic conditions) and diagenous asbolane (suboxic conditions).Minerals 2019, 9, 84 2 of 33 hydrothermal fluids), the two major types of ferromanganese crusts are distinguished: (I) hydrogenetic cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts; (II) hydrothermal crusts and encrustations (sometimes called stratabound manganese oxides) [15][16][17][18]. Hydrothermal crusts that precipitate directly from low temperature hydrothermal fluids (few tens of degrees up to 200 • C), usually grow significantly faster, even up to 1600-1800 mm/Ma [19]. Ferromanganese crusts in some locations form through a combination of fluid sources and thereby exhibit a mixed origin, primarily either hydrogenetic, diagenetic or hydrothermal-hydrogenetic [15,18,20,21].Co-rich ferromanganese crusts formation is dominated by hydrogenetic processes. The precipitation from bottom waters is extremely slow, with growth rates of 1-5 mm/Ma. The thickest crusts occur in the depth interval between 800-2500 m and show the highest concentrations of critical metals [22]. Some authors limit this depth to the anoxic zone at approximate depths of 1000-1500 m. Below these depths, the thickness of crusts decrease [23][24][25].On the youngest rock outcrops, crusts form mainly patina-thin layers. Most crust surfaces are either botryoidal, smooth or rough, that form under conditions of strong bottom currents. In the thick crusts, 2 to 8 visible or macroscopic layers may be distinguished. The internal layers are usually black and massive, while outer parts are slightly lighter, laminated and more porous [13]. However, crusts with four major layers of oxide layers have been found. The outer-and innermost are massive and show light colors, whereas the...

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Estimates of Metals Contained in Abyssal Manganese Nodules and Ferromanganese Crusts in the Global Ocean Based on Regional Variations and Genetic Types of Nodules

Mizell

Hein

et al. 2022

Perspectives on Deep-Sea Mining

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Strategic and rare elements in Cretaceous-Cenozoic cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts from seamounts in the Canary Island Seamount Province (northeastern tropical Atlantic)

Cited by 87 publications

References 114 publications

Assessment of the Mineral Resource Potential of Atlantic Ferromanganese Crusts Based on Their Growth History, Microstructure, and Texture

Assessment of the Mineral Resource Potential of Atlantic Ferromanganese Crusts Based on Their Growth History, Microstructure, and Texture

Mineralogy of Cobalt-Rich Ferromanganese Crusts from the Perth Abyssal Plain (E Indian Ocean)

Estimates of Metals Contained in Abyssal Manganese Nodules and Ferromanganese Crusts in the Global Ocean Based on Regional Variations and Genetic Types of Nodules

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