Rare earth element zonation in Pacific ferromanganese nodules

The lower surfaces of ferromanganese nodules from the north equatorial Pacific Ocean, which are enriched in Mn, Cu and Ni, and the upper surfaces, which are enriched in Fe, P and Co, have been analyzed for La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Er and Yb. The REE contents are lower and the Ce anomaly is smaller in the lower surfaces than in the upper surfaces. The magnitude of the Ce anomaly increases with decreasing $\text{Mn}\text{Fe}$ ratio, indicative of a seawater origin. The zonal distribution of the other REE supports the conclusion derived previously from inter-nodule and nodule/sediment relationships that diagenetic fixation of rare earths in sediments affects their enrichment by nodular iron oxyhydroxides.