The distribution of elements between co-existing phases in some marine ferromanganese-oxide deposits
Abstract
Analyses of ferromanganese oxides from the Indian and Atlantic Oceans for the elements Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Ca, AI, Ti, Cr and Cd have helped to elucidate some of the controls on their geochemistry. In most samples virtually all of the Mn and much of the Fe are present as acid-reducible phyllomanganates and Fe oxyhydroxides respectively. By contrast, in samples in which goethite was identified, much of the Fe and significant amounts of the Mn. are not acid-reducible. The partition patterns of the minor elements reflect to varying extents the mineralogy of the hydrous Mn and Fe oxide phases. In δ-Mn-O 2-rich samples the ratio of adsorbed to crystallographically-bound Ni. Cu and Zn, is higher than in todorokite-rich samples, but in each case these metals are virtually entirely phyllomanganate-associated. In goethite-rich samples, however, significant amounts of Ni. Cu and Zn may be associated with the goethite itself rather than with phyllomanganate minerals. Cobalt shows very close association with the phyllomanganates irrespective of the specific mineralogy, but Pb behaves in a way which cannot yet be fully characterised. The non-reducible fractions of the samples contain most of the Ca, Al. Ti and Cr. Some Ca however is also present in the phyllomanganates.
- Publication:
-
Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
- Pub Date:
- October 1981
- DOI:
- 10.1016/0016-7037(81)90016-8
- Bibcode:
- 1981GeCoA..45.1855M