Diatomaceous oozes of the Middle Caspian Sea

Ten cores taken by a gravity corer from an area 5 × 5 km in size at the foot of the western slope of the Derbent Basin recovered uniform sections composed of variegated clotted diatomaceous oozes and soft gray clays with hydrotroilite-enriched spots, lenses, and laminae, the abundance of which increases downward. The diatom assemblages indicate a strongly freshened basin, which was replaced in the Holocene (Novocaspian time) by the brackish-water and then present-day saline sea. The grain-size composition of the sediments was determined by the gravitational deposition of suspended particles and by the near-bottom currents. The latter likely promoted the concentration of diatom frustules and accumulation of diatomaceous oozes.     

Marine environments of economic mineral deposition around New Zealand: A review

Concentrations of minerals on the sea floor around New Zealand occur in a manner which makes them economically significant as future mineral resources.

Three major environments of interest are beaches, the continental shelf, and the adjacent deep‐sea floor. New Zealand's west coast beaches are well known as mineral resources containing large quantities of iron and titanium ores. Similar concentrations representing fossil beaches are also known from the continental shelf. The deep‐sea floor adjacent to the continental shelf is formed around New Zealand by the New Zealand Plateau, an extensive submarine platform in 500–1,500 m. Terrigenous sedimentation is negligible in this environment where, as a result, pure calcareous oozes are common. Vigorous bottom currents and suitable reducing micro‐environments encourage glauconite formation. In the past, possibly from warmer waters of the early and mid Tertiary, phosphates were precipitated from seawater to form phosphorite nodules, a potential resource of phosphates. During late Tertiary or Quaternary, volcanicity at the Antipodes Islands and on the Macquarie Ridge resulted in the formation of manganese deposits. Manganese minerals also occur in bulk on the floor of the Southwestern Pacific Basin away from the New Zealand Plateau.

The origin, bulk, and significance of these deposits are discussed.     

Permeability–porosity relationships of subduction zone sediments

Permeability–porosity relationships for sediments from the northern Barbados, Costa Rica, Nankai, and Peru subduction zones were examined based on sediment type, grain size distribution, and general mechanical and chemical compaction history. Greater correlation was observed between permeability and porosity in siliciclastic sediments, diatom oozes, and nannofossil chalks than in nannofossil oozes. For siliciclastic sediments, grouping of sediments by percentage of clay-sized material yields relationships that are generally consistent with results from other marine settings and suggests decreasing permeability as percentage of clay-sized material increases. Correction of measured porosities for smectite content improved the correlation of permeability–porosity relationships for siliciclastic sediments and diatom oozes. The relationship between permeability and porosity for diatom oozes is very similar to the relationship in siliciclastic sediments, and permeabilities of both sediment types are related to the amount of clay-size particles. In contrast, nannofossil oozes have higher permeability values by 1.5 orders of magnitude than siliciclastic sediments of the same porosity and show poor correlation between permeability and porosity. More indurated calcareous sediments, nannofossil chalks, overlap siliciclastic permeabilities at the lower end of their measured permeability range, suggesting similar consolidation patterns at depth. Thus, the lack of correlation between permeability and porosity for nannofossil oozes is likely related to variations in mechanical and chemical compaction at shallow depths. This study provides the foundation for a much-needed global database with fundamental properties that relate to permeability in marine settings. Further progress in delineating controls on permeability requires additional carefully documented permeability measurements on well-characterized samples.     

下扬子中二叠统上升流相与烃源岩的关系研究

下扬子区面积177020km^2,包括江苏、浙江、安徽、江西和上海绝大部分地区,这一区域的构造属性为被动大陆边缘,通过对该区古生界中二叠统的几十条剖面的实测、分析和对比,得出该区古生界中二叠统地层中的黑色碳质页岩、硅质页岩、硅质岩、硅质条带和结核以及磷矿层和磷结核等沉积是古特提斯海中上升流作用形成的。上升流水体中富营养盐和SiO2在古生代低纬度的下扬子地块生物大量繁殖,引发缺氧事件,形成上述硅质和磷质沉积以及有机质丰富的烃源岩、石煤和磷矿层等,由于上升流水体富营养盐和SiO2,生物化石属种丰富,个体大,多营底栖或固着浅海底生活,硅质生物放射虫等丰富。区内烃源岩有机质与上升流的强度呈正相关关系,可见它们之间存在着成因联系。     

Accumulation of uranium in sediments and phosphorites on the South West African shelf

Organic-rich sediments and coexisting phosphorites from the continental shelf off South West Africa have been analysed for uranium and thiorum by alpha-spectrometry. The uranium concentrations in the sediments range from 10 to 55 ppm, with an isotopic composition close to that of sea-water, indicating that uranium is passing into the sediments at the present time. The phosphorites occur in the sediments as thin unconsolidated laminae and as lithified nodules and pellets, with uranium contents ranging from 79 to 158 ppm. Based on the uranium isotopic composition, only the unconsolidated phosphorite laminae are recent, while the lithified nodules and pellets, with ²³⁴U/²³⁸U and ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U ratios close to radio-active equilibrium, appear to be inherited from a previous period of phosphorite deposition. Deposition of uranium appears to take place predominantly by incorporation into carbonate fluorapatite growing authigenically within the sediment. Uranium accumulation rates, computed from ¹⁴C-dated sections of the sediment cores, and using only uranium values with modern isotopic composition, range from 232 to 765 μg/cm² per 1,000 years. These results stress the importance of organic-rich sediments containing authigenic phosphorite beneath areas of high organic productivity as a major sink for uranium in the ocean.     

The age of glauconite from the Chatham rise,east of New Zealand

Radiometric analysis indicates that a granular variety of glauconite, widespread on the Chatham Rise, is derived from late Tertiary sediments. Other forms of glauconite, associated with pumice, phosphorite nodules, and glacially‐transported erratic blocks, are of Quaternary age. These are quantitatively unimportant, and may have originated as a result of redistribution of components from the older glauconite.     

Phosphorite from the Continental Margin off Madras, Bay of Bengal

A recent survey reveals that phosphorites occur over an area of 800 km2 between 100 and 500 m depths on the outer continental shelf and upper slope ESE off Madras. Appreciable subsurface continuity of phosphorites is not indicated. They mostly occur over two terraces recorded between the 100 and 200, and 350 and 400m isobaths. Sampled phosphorites may be classified under four types: (1) dense conglomeratic phosphorites in the size range 2 5 cm, (2) dark gray phosphatic nodules in the size range 1 3 cm, (3) creamy white calcareous algal nodules with phosphatic laminations in the size range 0.5 3 cm, and (4) recent gastropod shells with phosphatic studs. Conglomeratic phosphorites confined mostly to the upper terrace were recov ered along with calcareous pelecypod and gastropod fossils belonging to Cretaceous to Oligocene age. Gray phosphatic nodules occur over upper as well as lower terraces. The algal nodules are mostly confined to the upper terrace and are less abundant. Acoustic profiles (3.5 kHz) and the recovery of fossils indicate that the upper terrace is a karstic surface of a carbonate platform, probably of Cretaceous to Oligocene age. Petrographic study of the conglomeratic phosphorite shows skeletal matter set in phosphatic matrix and what appears to be the phosphatized limestone. Selective phosphatization of foraminiferal tests is common. Dark gray phosphatic nodules show brownish-gray laminations containing phosphatized skeletal fragments set in phosphatic matrix. Creamy white calcareous algal nodules exhibit alternate gray phosphatic and white calcitic laminations. All the phosphorite types are composed of carbonate fluorapatite and calcite as major minerals, followed by quartz and aragonite. Phosphorous pentoxide content of conglomeratic type varies from 15% to 20%, dark gray nodules from 16% to 19.98%, and calcareous algal nodules from 8.10% to 17.54%. The significant enrichment of Mo and Pb in phosphorites is attributed to their fixation in organic matter under reduced condition. SEM studies indicate a microbial origin for the gray phosphatic and algal nodules. Studies suggest four episodes of phosphatization with intervening reworking and redoposition, probably commencing from the Eocene period. Phosphatization during the late Pleistocene and early Holocene period also can be ruled out.     

Multiple late Quaternary episodes of exceptional diatom production in the Gulf of Alaska

Hole 887B of the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) comprises a 44 m (750 kyr) long continuous section recovered from the Patton–Murray Rise, an elevated plateau that is largely isolated from turbidite deposition. The Patton–Murray area is centered under the Alaska Gyre, a region characterized by the domal upwelling of nutrient-rich waters. Marked increases in productivity and rapid settling of biogenic matter are suggested throughout the section by the episodic accumulation of diatomaceous oozes up to ∼1 m thick that are accompanied by barium enrichments. Significant δ¹³C_org maxima in the major diatomaceous bands suggest that mixed-layer [CO_2(aq)] may have been drawn down significantly during some of the productivity events. The episodes of enhanced productivity at Site 887 occur synchronously with short-lived minima in planktonic foram δ¹⁸O, suggesting a direct link to low salinity, or less likely, warming, events in the Gulf of Alaska. There is no obvious explanation for the events, but they may be related to seasonal incursions of meltwater from Alaska. We speculate that episodic input of meltwater- or dust-borne iron from Asian or Alaskan sources may have promoted the extraordinary diatom production events recorded in the sedimentary record.     

扬子地块东南古生代上升流沉积相及其与烃源岩的关系

长江中下游苏、皖、赣、鄂一带属古生代扬子地块被动大陆边缘的东南缘,通过该区64条古生界剖面的实测、分析和对比,得出该区古生界寒武、奥陶、志留、石炭和二叠系等地层中的黑色碳质页岩、硅质页岩、硅质条带和结核以及磷矿层和磷结核等沉积是古特提斯海中上升流作用形成的。上升流水体中富营养盐和SiO2,在古生代低纬度的扬子地块东南缘生物大量繁殖,引发缺氧事件,形成上述硅质和磷质沉积以及有机质丰富的烃源岩、石煤和磷矿层等,由于上升流水体富营养盐和SiO2,生物化石属种丰富,个体大,多营底栖或固着浅海底生活,硅质生物放射虫等丰富。区内烃源岩有机质与上升流的强度呈正相关关系,可见它们之间存在着成因联系。上古生界油气发现于苏北及南黄海,因而,这一区域是与上升流沉积有关的、最有利的油气勘探目标区。     

Effect of Carbonate Alkalinity on the Solubility of Modern Marine Phosphorite

Oceanology - The interaction of modern (Holocene) phosphorite nodules with solutions imitating pore waters of sediments of highly productive ocean regions with a high carbonate alkalinity was...     

Morphological variations in the polymetallic nodules from selected stations in the central Indian Ocean

Polymetallic nodules from the Central Indian Ocean largely range in size from 2 to 6 cm. The smaller nodules (<4 cm) are subspheroidal to spheroidal in shape and with the increase in size, nodules become more discoidal and elongated. The size and relief of mammillae vary with the size of nodules. Polynucleate nodules are more abundant in larger size classes (>6 cm) and in stations closer to the oceanic ridge. Density varies significantly with shape; less rounded nodules are denser than well-rounded ones.     

俄罗斯大洋固体矿产资源调查研究进展

介绍了俄罗斯的海洋多金属结核、铁锰结壳、热液硫化物和磷钙土资源调查研究活动概况和发展趋势。     

Geotechnical Properties of Surface Sediments in the INDEX Area

As a part of the environmental impact assessment studies, geotechnical properties of sediments were determined in the Central Indian Basin. The undrained shear strength and index properties of the siliceous sediments were determined on 20 box cores of uniform dimension collected from various locations in five preselected sites. The maximum core length encountered was 41 cm and most of the sediments were siliceous oozes consisting of radiolarian or diatomaceous tests. The shear strength measurements revealed that surface sediments deposited in recent times (0-10 cm) have a shear strength of 0-1 kPa; this value increases with depth, reaching 10 kPa at 40 cm deep. Older sediments have greater strength because of compaction. Water content varies in the wide range of 312-577% and decreases with depth. The clay minerals such as smectite and illite are dominant and show some control over water content. Wet density, specific gravity, and porosity do not indicate any notable variation with depth, thereby indicating a uniform, slow rate of sedimentation. The average porosity of sediments is 90.2%, specific gravity 2.18, and wet bulk density 1.12 g/cm 3 . Sediments exhibit medium to high plasticity characteristics, with the average plasticity index varying between 105% and 136%. Preliminary studies on postdisturbance samples showed an increase in natural water content and a decrease in undrained shear strength of sediments in the top 10- to 15-cm layer.     

Environmental management frameworks for offshore mining: the New Zealand approach

The New Zealand region contains untapped natural mineral, oil, and gas resources while also supporting globally unique and diverse faunal communities that need to be managed sustainably. In this paper key information from the international literature is reviewed that can underpin an Environmental Mining Management System which includes elements of Environmental Risk Assessment, Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management Planning. This paper focuses on four developing areas of seafloor mining activities presently being undertaken or planned in the New Zealand region: hydrocarbons (oil and gas), minerals, ironsands and phosphorite nodules. A number of issues with the implementation of environmental management systems are identified including the difficulty of assessing new marine activities or technologies and the need for standardised reporting metrics. Finally, the development of ecosystem-based management and marine spatial planning is discussed which will be required to enhance environmental mining management frameworks in New Zealand.     

Geotechnical Properties of Surface Sediments in the INDEX Area

Abstract

As a part of the environmental impact assessment studies, geotechnical properties of sediments were determined in the Central Indian Basin. The undrained shear strength and index properties of the siliceous sediments were determined on 20 box cores of uniform dimension collected from various locations in five preselected sites. The maximum core length encountered was 41 cm and most of the sediments were siliceous oozes consisting of radiolarian or diatomaceous tests. The shear strength measurements revealed that surface sediments deposited in recent times (0–10 cm) have a shear strength of 0–1 kPa; this value increases with depth, reaching 10 kPa at 40 cm deep. Older sediments have greater strength because of compaction. Water content varies in the wide range of 312–577% and decreases with depth. The clay minerals such as smectite and illite are dominant and show some control over water content. Wet density, specific gravity, and porosity do not indicate any notable variation with depth, thereby indicating a uniform, slow rate of sedimentation. The average porosity of sediments is 90.2%, specific gravity 2.18, and wet bulk density 1.12 g/cm³. Sediments exhibit medium to high plasticity characteristics, with the average plasticity index varying between 105% and 136%. Preliminary studies on postdisturbance samples showed an increase in natural water content and a decrease in undrained shear strength of sediments in the top 10- to 15-cm layer.     

Uranium-series and AMS C studies of modern phosphatic pellets from Peru shelf muds

Recent sediments and separated phosphate pellets ( 125–500 μm in diameter) from the Peru shelf have been analyzed for uranium decay-series isotopes and ¹⁴C in order to determine age relationships and mineralization rates. Uranium-series ages of pellets separated from one box core are significantly higher than AMS radiocarbon ages determined for the same pellets. These differences appear to be a consequence of mixing of an older generation of pellets with ones which are more recently formed. Postdepositional adsorption of reactive elements such as thorium and protactinium onto pellet surfaces may also contribute to the observed discordancy with radiocarbon ages.

Sediment radiocarbon and ²¹⁰Pb sediment results, as well as some trends in the uranium-series data, suggest that high concentrations of phosphate pellets have accumulated in some Peru shelf sediments without extensive reworking. Individual pellets apparently form very quickly, on time scales of a few years. Estimated authigenic uptake rates of phosphorus into pellets ranges from 0.5 to 9.40 μmol-P cm^{− 2} yr^{− 1}, somewhat higher than rates measured for nodules from the same area. This is consistent with observations that pelletal morphologies predominate over nodular forms within ancient phosphorite deposits.     

Effects of static stability and the C/N ratio on aggregation processes of oceanic particles

The cumulative numbers of particles obtained from seven waters in the depth range of 0–100 m in coastal seas and in the North Pacific Ocean followed a hyperbolic distribution with two segments on log-log plots (132 sets of data). An alteration of the segment-slope in the fine size classes (1.59–10.08 μm in the coastal region, 1.59–6.35 μm in the open sea) was assumed to show a loss or a supply of fine particles due to aggregation or disaggregation. We studied relationships between segment slopes, static stabilities of water above the pycnocline which concern the dynamics of particles, and C/N ratios as an indicator of freshness of particles. A negative correlation between the segment-slope of particle size distribution and static stability was obtained, though the slope P of the regression line varied from 0.059 to 0.316. The average C/N ratio in the waters were in the range of 7.5 to 16.3. The slope P negatively correlated to the C/N ratio (r=−0.97). The present results suggested that aggregations of fine-sized particles in the sea are activated in the water with fresh organic matter and with high static stability.     

Stratigraphic development of the south Vøring margin (Mid-Norway) since early Cenozoic time and its influence on subsurface fluid flow

The Cenozoic seismic stratigraphy and geological development of the south Vøring margin are analyzed to understand their relation to fluid flow and margin stability. The regional stratigraphy and palaeomorphology of the Møre and Vøring basins indicate gradual changes in depositional environment and tectonic compression between 55 Ma to 2.8 Ma during Brygge and Kai periods, and abrupt changes associated with glacial/interglacial cycles from last 2.8 Ma during Naust period. These changes resulted in deposition of various types of sediments and led to processes such as polygonal faulting and dewatering, inter-fingering of contouritic, stratified and glacigenic sediments, and margin progradation.A gas hydrate related bottom simulating reflector (BSR) occurs at Nyegga and within the central Vøring Basin while pockmarks are observed at Nyegga only. Diagentic reflectors due to Opal A - Opal CT conversion (DBSRs) occur along a wider area beyond the shelf edge. The DBSRs are located in oozes within the Kai and late Brygge Formations. The gas hydrate BSR occurrence is concentrated above Eocene depocenters in hemipelagic and contouritic sediments deposited during Late Plio-Pleistocene. The BSR overlies polygonal faults and DBSRs but are confined to the slope of anticlines indicating its formation being related to fluid pathways from methanogenic rocks through focused fluid flow. Microbial gas production in Kai, Brygge and deeper formations may have supplied the gas for gas hydrate formation. Fluid expulsion due to DBSR formation and polygonal faulting in oozes may have created overpressure development in permeable layers belonging to the overlying Naust Formation. Slide headwalls are also located close to the anticlines in the study area, implying that over pressured oozes and focussed fluid flow may have been important in creating weak surfaces in the overlying Naust sediments, promoting conditions for failures to occur.     

Airborne imagery of a disintegrating Sargassum drift line

Airborne hyperspectral and thermal infrared imagery collected over the Florida Current provide a view of the disintegration of a Sargassum drift line in 5 m s⁻¹ winds. The drift line consists mostly of rafts 20-80 m² in size, though aggregations larger than 1000 m² also occur. Rafts tend to be elongated, curved in the upwind direction, and 0.1-0.5 °C warmer than the surrounding ocean surface. Long weed ‘trails’ extending upwind from the rafts are evidence of plants dropping out and being left behind more rapidly drifting rafts. The raft line may be a remnant of an earlier Sargassum frontal band, which is detectible as an upwind thermal front and areas of submerged weed. Issues are identified that require future field measurements.     

海相磷块岩沉积事件研究——以新元古代末—寒武纪成磷事件为例

磷块岩大规模沉积是古海洋磷循环作用的结果。为解释海相磷块岩成因,提出了各种理论。大规模成磷事件的发生与古海洋条件和古生态环境有关,从C—N—P—O等元素循环来探讨成磷现象成为目前的趋势。磷也是重要的生命元素,磷酸盐的富集与生物演化之间也存在一定的联系。新元古代末—寒武纪磷块岩沉积是第1次全球性大规模成磷事件,它与Rodinia超大陆解体、新元古代晚期冰川事件的结束、古海洋水体地球化学条件的变化及新旧生态系统更迭等因素有关,而成磷事件又对这一时期的生物演化与生命创新事件起到了促进作用。对磷块岩的成因理论、古海洋磷循环等进行了分析,并从新元古代末—寒武纪磷块岩沉积的时空分布和成磷事件对生物演化的影响方面进行了探讨。