Distribution Characteristics of Cobalt-rich Ferromanganese Crust Resources on Submarine Seamounts in the Western Pacific

Based on the survey data of five submarine seamount provinces （chains） in the Western Pacific, the distribution characteristics of cobalt-rich ferromanganese crust resources have been researched in this paper by using the relative reference data and applying the theories of hotspot and seafloor spreading. The main research results obtained are as follows： The Co-rich crust thickness in the study area is gradually increasing from east to west and from south to north having a negative correlation （r = -0.59） with longitude and a positive correlation （r = 0.48） with latitude. The crust thickness varying along longitude and latitude is influenced by the hotspot and seafloor spreading. The oceanic crusts and seamounts in the northwest part of the study area are older, and the crust resources are superior to those in the southeast part. In the depth of 〈1500 m, 1500-2000 m, 2000-2500 m in the study area, the cobalt crust thickness is respectively 5.45 cm, 4.34 cm and 3.55 cm, and in the depth of 2500-3000 m and 3000-3500 m, it drops respectively to 2.84 cm and 3.37 cm. The Co-rich crust resources are mainly concentrated in the seamount summit margins and the upper flanks in the depth of 〈2500 m. There is a strong negative correlation （r = -0.67） between the cobalt crust abundance and the slope of the seamount, 75 kg/m^2 and 50 kg/mz at the slopes of 0°-20° and 20°-34° respectively. Cobalt crusts are mainly distributed in the parts whose slopes are less than 20°. It is consistent with the fractal result that the slope threshold of cobalt crust distribution is 19°, and slopes over 20° are not conducive to the crust growth. The cobalt crusts of high grade are mainly enriched in the region within 150°E-140°W and 30°S-30°N in the Pacific, where there are about 587 seamounts at the depth of 3500- 6000 m and over 30 Ma of the oceanic crusts. The perspective area rich in cobalt crust resources is about 41×104 km^2 and the resource quantity is approximately 27 billion tons.     

钴结壳矿区圈定和资源评价的参数指标

大洋海山钴结壳集海洋资源和环境双重信息, 各国对它的调查研究方兴未艾.钴结壳资源勘查的最终目的是圈定钴结壳矿区和开发钴结壳资源.迄今为止, 国内外尚未就钴结壳矿区圈定和资源评价给出具体的参数指标, 基于我国近十年对西太平洋26座海山钴结壳资源调查, 结合太平洋环境资料, 在深入分析钴结壳厚度、丰度、品位、覆盖率、资源量、面积, 海山坡度和水深资料的基础上, 对13座重点海山进行了钴结壳矿区圈定、资源评价和钴结壳分布规律的系统研究, 进而提出圈定钴结壳矿区的八项重要参数指标: 钴结壳矿区的结壳厚度为≥3cm或≥4cm, 取决于海山具体地理位置; 水深为≤2500m或≤3000m;Co含量为≥0.50%或≥0.60%;丰度为≥60kg/m2或≥70kg/m2; 坡度为≤15°; 结壳覆盖率为≥30%;钴结壳矿区的申请面积为17000~20000km2, 矿区最终保留面积为5000~6000km2.钴结壳矿区8项参数指标的提出, 将有力地促进大洋钴结壳矿区圈定、资源量计算和资源评价工作, 为我国积极参与联合国海底管理局制定钴结壳资源开发利用规章制度提供量化参考指标.      

利用多波束回波强度进行中太平洋潜鱼海山底质分类

中、西太平洋海山区是富钴结壳的重要富集区,钙质远洋沉积、碳酸盐岩沉积及重力作用引起的滑塌沉积是海山山顶和斜坡的主要沉积类型,它们的空间分布规律对于富钴结壳的分布至关重要.在国内首次利用EM122多波束回波强度资料对中太平洋潜鱼海山进行了底质类型研究,对回波强度资料进行处理和统计分类,并与浅地层剖面和地质取样结果对比,分析得出了4种底质类型,即富钴结壳、钙质远洋沉积、碳酸盐岩基底及碎屑流沉积.这几种底质类型具有不同的回波强度特征,其中富钴结壳区表现为均一的回波强度高值特征;钙质远洋沉积区表现为均一的回波强度低值特征,二者回波强度值相差约20 dB.结果显示潜鱼海山山顶仅局部发育钙质远洋沉积,大部分为碳酸盐岩基底出露区,山顶边缘及侧翼山脊处为主要的富钴结壳分布区.此外,该海山存在3处较大规模的重力滑塌沉积区,主要为碎屑流沉积.      

Fractal characteristics of resource quantity of cobalt crusts and seamount topography, the West Pacific

This paper presents the fractal distribution of topography of seamounts from the West Pacific and the resource quantity of cobalt crust therein. The cobalt resource quantity has three to four variable fractal dimensions, corresponding to the distinct slopes and water depths of the seamount. The multiple fractal property of resource quantity may have resulted from various factors, such as types and components of cobalt crusts and ages of oceanic crusts hosting the seamounts. Individual seamounts display complex topography and quantity of cobalt crust, both in the same and different regions. Translated from Acta Sedimentologica Sinica, 2006, 24(5): 705–713 [译自: 沉积学报]     

Ferromanganese crusts as indicators for paleoceanographic events in the NE Atlantic

Hydrogenetic ferromanganese crusts reflect the chemical conditions of the sewater from which they formed. Fine-scale geochemical analysis of crust layers in combination with age determinations can therefore be used to investigate paleoceanographic changes which are recorded in geochemical gradients in the crusts. At Tropic seamount (off northwest Africa), uniform crust growth influenced by terrigenous input from the African continent occurred during approximately the past 12 Ma. Phosphatization of these crusts is minor. In contrast, crusts from Lion seamount, located between Madeira and the Portuguese coast, display a much more variable growth history. A pronounced increase in Ni, Cu, and Zn is observed in some intervals of the crusts, which probably reflects increased surface productivity. A thick older phosphatized generation occurs in many samples. Hydrographic profiles indicate that Mediterranean outflow water (MOW) may play an important role in the composition of these crusts.¹⁰Be dating of one sample confirms that the interruption of the MOW during the Messinian salinity crisis (6.2–5 Ma ago) resulted in changes in element composition. Sr-isotope dating of the apatite phase of the old crust generation has been carried out to obtain a minimum age for the older generation of Atlantic crusts and to determine whether crust phosphatization in the Atlantic can be related to phosphatization episodes recorded in Pacific crusts. The preliminary data show that the old phosphatized crust generation might be as old as approximately 30–40 Ma.     

太平洋海山钴结壳资源量估算

为合理地估算出太平洋海山钴结壳资源量, 基于我国西太平洋海山钴结壳拖网采样调查资料以及对太平洋海山钴结壳资源分布规律和钴结壳矿区圈定参数指标的深入研究, 创造性地按海山不同高度、不同洋壳年龄赋予不同结壳厚度, 进而首次计算出太平洋海山干结壳资源量为(507.06~1 014.11)×108 t, 锰为(111.15~222.29)×108 t, 钴为(3.04~6.08)×108 t, 镍为(2.23~4.46)×108 t, 铜为(0.66~1.32)×108 t, 结壳分布面积为2 062 862 km2.通过Co通量与结壳Co沉积量、结壳厚度的相关分析表明, 赋予不同洋壳年龄段的结壳厚度是理论厚度的6.10%~12.20%, 这与Ku et al.得出"结壳生长时间只占其整个生命史4%"的认识非常相近, 说明所赋结壳厚度基本合理, 得出的结壳资源量基本正确.为整个大洋海盆内海山钴结壳资源量的估算提供了新方法.      

New data on the structure of the Vitoria-Trindade seamount chain (western Brazil basin,South Atlantic)

In 2008, during cruise 24 of the R/V Akademik Vavilov, much of our research work was focused on the central segment (Jaseur and Davis seamounts, Dogaressa Bank) of the Vitoria-Trindade seamount chain (west of the Brazil basin) extending along 20.5° S. Work was conducted to survey the upper part of the sedimentary cover and to perform subbottom profiling. The samples dredged on the seamount slopes are represented by volcanites and Fe-Mn crusts.     

中太平洋海山富钴结壳主要成壳元素特征

通过大洋一号船DY105--12 /14 航次采集的结壳样品,对中太平洋CL、CM2、CM3、CX、CQ、 CA、CB 海山结壳的主要成壳元素Mn、Fe、Co、Ni、Cu 的含量进行了测试统计,并与邻区的麦哲伦海山、马绍尔群岛、夏威夷群岛和莱恩群岛进行了对比,中太平洋各海山以及不同区域海山结壳的主成分之间存在一些差异,这主要与各海山结壳的物质来源、成壳环境和成壳时代的差异有关。不同形态类型的结壳主成分具有一定的差别,其主要原因可能是生长机制和形成环境不同造成的。     

Continuous growth of hydrogenetic ferromanganese crusts since 17 Myr ago on Takuyo-Daigo Seamount,NW Pacific,at water depths of 800–5500 m

Ferromanganese crusts cover all outcrops on Takuyo-Daigo seamount traversed during remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) dives, except in places covered by foraminifera sand. Takuyo-Daigo is a Cretaceous seamount located in the northwest Pacific Ocean. Geological and bathymetric mapping provide the framework for this study. Chemical and mineralogical analyses of the hydrogenetic ferromanganese crusts show temporal and spatial variations typical of those found in previous studies. Outcrops from 800 to 5500 m water depths are covered with ferromanganese crusts up to 105 mm thick. Beryllium isotope dating shows that the crusts have apparently been growing continuously at all water depths, even through the modern oxygen minimum zone (OMZ), contrary to some earlier models for deposition. Growth rates vary from 2.3 to 3.5 mm/Myr, with Fe or Mn fluxes of 0.07–0.11 g/cm²/Myr since the early-middle Miocene. Co/Mn ratios decrease with water depth while Fe/Mn and other metallic elements increase or show no change, based on the analysis of the uppermost crust surface. This is probably because Co is the most abundant redox-sensitive element derived from seawater that occurs in crusts.     

新疆古尔班通古特沙漠生物结皮的土壤理化性质分析

古尔班通古特沙漠是我国第二大沙漠,广泛发育着地衣、苔藓和藻类等生物结皮,其分布状况与其自身生理生态特点和所处沙丘部位的环境条件密切联系着.结合野外调查和实验室样品分析结果,讨论了沙丘不同部位土壤理化性质与生物结皮分布、发育的关系.结果表明:不同类型生物结皮在沙丘上的分布和发育状况是不同的,从沙丘顶部的流动或半流动沙面上到沙丘两坡的中部、下部以及丘间低地,生物结皮的分布依次为微生物种类、藻类结皮、地衣结皮和苔藓结皮,从沙丘上部、中部至沙丘底部及丘间,生物结皮的类型、厚度及发育程度呈增强态势.生物结皮在沙丘不同部位的发育特点和分异变化与沙丘不同地貌部位的土壤理化性状、地表基质稳定性等生态条件有着密切的关系.     

大洋富钴结壳资源调查与研究进展

富钴结壳是继多金属结核资源之后被发现的又一深海沉积固体矿产资源,在太平洋、大西洋和印度洋的海底均有分布。据估算,全球三大洋海山富钴结壳干结壳资源量为(1081.1661~2162.3322)×108t。世界各国对富钴结壳的调查始于20世纪80年代初,截至目前,已有日本、中国、俄罗斯和巴西等4个国家与国际海底管理局签订了富钴结壳勘探合同,而韩国的矿区申请也于2016年获得核准。富钴结壳按形态可分为板状结壳,砾状结壳和钴结核3种类型。富钴结壳内部结构构造在宏观上通常表现为三层构造,即底部亮煤层、中部疏松层和顶部较致密层;在微观下主要表现为柱状构造、叠层构造、斑块状构造、纹层状构造等多种类型。富钴结壳的矿物成分主要为自生的铁锰矿物,包括水羟锰矿、钡镁锰矿、羟铁矿、四方纤铁矿、六方纤铁矿、针铁矿等。富钴结壳富含Mn、Fe、Co、Ni、Cu、Pb、Zn等金属元素以及稀土元素和铂族元素,其中Co含量尤为显著。三大洋中,以太平洋富钴结壳的Co平均含量最高。富钴结壳的生长过程极其缓慢,平均仅几毫米每百万年。研究表明,西太平洋富钴结壳最早于始新世-早中新世开始生长。目前通常认为富钴结壳为水成成因,即Co、Fe、Mn等金属元素来源于海水。此外,有研究表明微生物在富钴结壳的形成过程中也起着非常重要的作用。富钴结壳的分布及特征受地形、水深、基岩类型、海水水文化学特征、经纬度等多种因素的影响,其主要分布于碳酸盐补偿深度以上、最低含氧带以下、水深800~2500 m的海山、岛屿斜坡和海底高地上,西、中太平洋海山区被认为是全球富钴结壳的最主要产出区。     

关于对我国大洋富钴结壳进行地质经济评价工作的讨论

对我国正在进行的针对富钴结壳资源调查的地质经济评价工作进行了探讨，对影响富钴结壳资源量评价的几个关键指标，海山地形及其坡度，富钴结壳覆盖率，厚度，品位，丰度进行了分析，提出了沿等高线和垂直于等高线进行勘探网点布设和根据勘探进程合理选择评估方法的建议，鉴于目前我国以勘查圈定矿区为主要目的，故暂拟侧重于地质资源量评估，在鉴探早期和后期以算术平均法为主，中期以克拉格法为主。     

富钴结壳中的磷酸盐岩及其古环境指示意义

磷酸盐岩是富钴结壳老壳层的主要组分之一。本文对来自中太平洋海山的三块富钴结壳样品中的磷酸盐岩进行了研究,以期对富钻结壳形成环境的变化有所了解。通过扫描电镜发现结壳中磷酸盐岩的形态有六种,磷酸盐岩主要分布在老壳层,新壳层中偶见。结壳中的磷酸盐岩为碳氟磷灰石(CFA),经成分分析及电镜中反射色的差异可以区分出两种成因的CFA：一种为交代碳酸盐岩型的,相对富Si、Al、Fe;另一种为从结壳孔隙水中直接沉淀而成的,基本不含Si、Al、Fe。对CB12样品中磷酸盐岩脉进行生物地层学鉴定,得出其老壳层下部火焰状磷酸盐岩的形成年代为晚渐新世一早中新世(23.2-29．9Ma),而其上部充填脉状磷酸盐岩的形成年代为中中新世(10.8-16Ma)。老壳层中富集磷酸盐岩说明在结壳形成早期,结壳形成环境条件尚不够稳定,底部存在富磷深层储库,当底流突然增强时,可携带磷在海山上交代结壳中的碳酸盐岩或在结壳内部合适条件下直接沉淀形成磷酸盐岩充填脉。新壳层形成时底流已相对髂定,富磷深层储库已消失,不再有广泛磷酸盐化形成。     

An integrated method for the quantitative evaluation of mineral resources of cobalt-rich crusts on seamounts

Cobalt-rich crusts on seamounts potentially have the economic value of multiple metals. In the field of exploration, it is important to perform quantitative evaluations of mineral resources and delineate promising areas in survey regions for future mining. Accordingly, this study, based on prior knowledge, develops an integrated method to quantitatively evaluate mineral resources of cobalt-rich crusts on seamounts and gives an application example to demonstrate this method. The method includes four steps: first, defining units with certain areas and shapes on the target seamount (a 20 km² square block in the application example) and estimating characteristic values of the cobalt-rich crust for each unit with known geological survey data using a space interpolation method such as Kriging; second, presenting several model algorithms, i.e. Regional Coverage of Crusts, Suitable Slope Percentage for Mining and Fitting Area on Slopes, to extract the corresponding regional metallogenic factors for each unit by inputting regional surveying data (such as bathymetry data) into these models; third, considering both the features and regional metallogenic factors of cobalt-rich crusts in each unit to estimate their distribution of mineral resources on the entire seamount; and last, according to the distribution of the mineral resources and international social and economic requirements (such as the regulations of the International Seabed Authority), delineating a promising area for future mining.     

Mineral Features of Surface Sediments and Analysis of Solid-State Mineral Resources in Southeastern China Sea

INTRODUCTIONIn the past years,a few researches have been made intothe Quaternary surface sediments in vast range of the South-eastern China Sea.In November1 997,the Guangzhou Bureauof Marine Geology Survey,Ministry of L and and Resources,started the regional geological surveying and mapping of ChinaSea(“Shantoufu,F-50”) ,and the marine geology and geo-physics investigation in the Southwest Taiwan basin,and theEastern Pearl River Mouth basin and their adjacent areas.Inthese inve…     

Distance-gradient-based variogram and Kriging to evaluate cobalt-rich crust deposits on seamounts

The spatial distribution of cobalt-rich crust thicknesses on seamounts is partly controlled by water depth and slope gradients. Conventional distance–direction-based variogram have not effectively expressed the spatial self-correlation or anisotropy of the thicknesses of cobalt-rich crusts. To estimate resources in cobalt-rich crusts on seamounts using geostatistics, we constructed a new variogram model to adapt to the spatial distribution of the thicknesses of the cobalt-rich crusts. In this model, we defined the data related to cobalt-rich crusts on seamounts as three-dimensional surface random variables, presented an experimental variogram process based on the distance–gradient or distance–“relative water depth,” and provided a theoretical variogram model that follows this process. This method was demonstrated by the spatial estimation of the thicknesses of cobalt-rich crusts on a seamount, and the results indicated that the new variogram model reflects the spatial self-correlation of the thicknesses of cobalt-rich crusts well. Substituted into the Kriging equation, the new variogram model successfully estimated the spatial thickness distribution of these cobalt-rich crusts.     

Microbiotic crusts and their interrelations with environmental factors in the Gurbantonggut desert,western China

Located in the Junggar Basin in Xinjiang, the Gurbantonggut Desert is the second largest desert in China. Microbiotic crusts consisting of animalcule, lichen, moss, and algae species develop extensively in the region. Their formation, species composition and distribution pattern are closely related to the environmental conditions along the different parts of sand dune. Analysis of microbiotic crust distribution and relationship to environmental factors shows that average microbiotic crust thickness is 0.05–0.1 cm at the tops dunes, 0.2–1.5 cm in the upper part, 1.5–2.5 cm in middle and lower parts of dunes, and 1.5–5.0 cm in interdune areas, while areal coverage is 30.5, 48.5, 55.5, and 75.5%, respectively. Microbiotic crust differentiation along dune slopes is a result of the development stage and converse-succession resistance of the different microbiotic crusts. The numbers of species, thickness and degree of development of microbiotic crusts increase from the upper part to the middle and lower parts of dune slopes. The development and differentiation of microbiotic crusts at various dune slope positions are a reflection of the ecological expression of the comprehensive adaptability and natural selection of different microbiotic crust species to the local environmental conditions, and are closely related to such ecological conditions as the physiochemical properties of soils and topsoil textural stability.     

大洋磷酸盐化作用对富钴结壳元素富集的影响

中国首次对与大洋富钴结壳密切相关的磷酸盐化作用进行了研究。对取自西太平洋麦哲伦海山区一厚度为 10cm的富钴结壳样品 ,自顶至底以 5mm间距采取了 2 0个分层样品进行了成矿元素和稀土元素分析。结果表明 ,未被磷酸盐化的新结壳和磷酸盐化的老结壳间主要成矿元素的含量相差显著。老结壳中Fe、Mn、Si、Al、Zn、Mg、Co、Ni、Cu元素亏损 ,亏损次序为Co >Ni>Mg >Al>Mn >Si>Cu >Zn >Fe;而Ca、P、Sr、Ba、Pb元素含量增加 ,富集次序为P >Ca >Ba >Pb >Sr。研究认为 ,结壳中磷酸盐化作用的强弱制约着富钴结壳成矿元素含量的变化 ,磷酸盐化作用是造成老结壳中主要成矿元素Co、Ni等贫化流失的根本原因。研究还表明 ,磷酸盐化作用对富钴结壳的稀土元素丰度也产生一定影响 ,使老结壳的稀土总量和Ce含量高于新结壳 ,但未显著改变其稀土配分模式和分馏特征。研究证实 ,老结壳的Y正异常与磷酸盐化作用无关。磷酸盐化作用的研究为富钴结壳矿产资源的评价和综合利用提供了有用信息。     

Effect of Phosphatization on Element Concentration of Cobalt-Rich Ferromanganese Crusts

1 Introduction Co-rich ferromanganese crusts occurring on submarine guyots have received much attention from scientists since the beginning of the 1980’s because they are enriched in Co, Mn, Pt, and rare earth elements (REEs), and have large potential mineral resources, occurring as they do on topographic highs relative to polymetallic nodules in the C-C (Clarion-Clipperton) zone (Halbach et al., 1982, 1989; Hein et al., 1992, 1999; Usui and Someya, 1997; Yamazaki and Sharma, 1998, 2000…     

中太平洋WX海山富钴结壳磷酸盐矿物学研究及成因类型分析

大洋富钴结壳普遍发生磷酸盐化,磷酸盐化对富钴结壳的各种属性存在显著影响,而磷酸盐的成因问题一直没有得到很好解决。中太平洋WX海山富钴结壳老壳层中发育着两期磷酸盐化事件所产生的上下两层磷酸盐,本文运用反光显微镜、扫描电子显微镜、电子探针、微量粉晶X衍射等手段分别对其进行了矿物学特征观察和测试,研究了老壳层上下两层磷酸盐特征并探讨其可能成因。上层磷酸盐由大量形态结构清楚的磷酸质有孔虫和超微化石以及非生物碳氟磷灰石(CFA)组成,成分均一,杂质少,表现出生物成因和原生自沉积特点;下层磷酸盐变化复杂,具有特征的交代结构,混杂较高的Si、Al、K、Fe成分,显示以磷酸盐交代碳酸盐成因为主。这表明不同磷酸盐化期形成的磷酸盐有不同的成因类型。