History and geochemistry of a metalliferous sediment core from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 26 degree N

Journal Article · Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1988 · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(88)90294-3· OSTI ID:5231398

Metz, S; Trefry, J H ^[1]; Nelsen, T A ^[2]

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1. Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne (USA)
2. NOAA-AOML-OCD, Miami, FL (USA)

Fourteen thousand years of hydrothermal deposition are recorded in a metalliferous sediment core recovered from the Trans-Atlantic Geotraverse (TAG) Hydrothermal Field on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 26{degree}N. An estimated 26 to > 96% of the sediment at this core site is hydrothermally derived as determined from the CaCO{sub 3}, Al and Fe data. Layers of essentially pure vent precipitates contain < 3% CaCO{sub 3} and < 0.5% Al, with high concentrations of Fe (43%), Cu (4.1%), Zn (1.2%), Mn (1.1%), V (480 ppm), Pb (175 ppm), Cd (32 ppm) and Hg (3.8 ppm). Sediment accumulation rates vary from {approximately}1 to > 30 g/cm{sup 2}/1,000 y throughout the core, a function of the intensity of hydrothermal inputs. Distinct hydrothermal events are recorded at 6,000 and 8,500 y B.P. in layers containing > 90% vent-derived material. Vertical metal profiles and interelement relationships in the core result from variable deposition of oxides and sulfides, oxidation and dissolution of sulfide phases and scavenging of metals from seawater.

• OSTI ID: 5231398
• Journal Information: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (USA), Vol. 52:10; ISSN 0016-7037
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
58 GEOSCIENCES
HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEMS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MID-ATLANTIC RIDGE
GEOCHEMISTRY
SEDIMENTS
MINERALIZATION
ALUMINIUM
CADMIUM
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COPPER
DISSOLUTION
DRILL CORES
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
HYDROTHERMAL SYNTHESIS
IRON
LEAD
MANGANESE
MERCURY
OXIDATION
SEAWATER
VANADIUM
ZINC
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
METALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SYNTHESIS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
WATER
152002* - Geothermal Data &amp; Theory- Properties of Minerals &amp; Rocks
580000 - Geosciences