Cerium anomaly variations in ferromanganese nodules and crusts from the Indian Ocean

Fifty analyses of rare earth elements as well as mineralogical studies have been carried out on a suite of manganese nodules and crusts from the Central Indian Basin and the Western Indian Ocean. The aim was to identify the processes controlling the REE patterns of the phases hosting the REE in the manganese nodules, with an emphasis on an understanding of the Ce anomaly. This has involved separating the encrusting layers and nuclei physically as well as Fe-Mn oxides from the aluminosilicate phase chemically (using a 2 M HCl leach) prior to analysis.

The presence of nodule nuclei seems to have little influence (mostly <5% to a maximum of 30%) on the overall magnitude of the Ce anomalies in these nodules. The ratios of concentrations of elements in the acid leachates and the corresponding bulk values yield flat REE patterns indicating that the aluminosilicate phase contributes very little to the Ce anomalies. Interelement relations indicate that the Ce anomalies are largely controlled by the amorphous mineral phase FeOOH.xH₂O. The relationship of Fe, Ce anomaly and δ-MnO₂ further suggests that Ce is chemisorbed onto iron oxyhydroxides which are epitaxially intergrown with δ-MnO₂.

The regional distribution of the Ce anomaly values appears to depend on many of the factors responsible for the uptake of other minor metals in nodules and crusts.