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Iron and manganese micro-precipitates within a cretaceous biosiliceous ooze from the Arctic Ocean: possible hydrothermal source

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Abstract

The oldest sediment most recently recovered from the Arctic Ocean is a biosiliceous ooze nearly devoid of nonbiogenic particles and exhibiting small-scale color changes. Color variations are due to changes in iron and manganese content. These elements are probably of local hydrothermal origin, and the Mn precipitation may be bacteria-mediated. An iron silicate phase seems to form at the expense of biogenic silica. The ooze deposited slowly until a sudden sediment input, probably a volcanigenic deposit now weathered to clay minerals, induced dissolution of siliceous microfossils. This clay layer contains calcium phosphate microspheres enriched in rare earth elements.

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  1. Geological Survey of Canada, Atlantic Geoscience Centre, Box 1006, B2Y 4A2, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada

    Patricia Stoffyn-Egli

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Stoffyn-Egli, P. Iron and manganese micro-precipitates within a cretaceous biosiliceous ooze from the Arctic Ocean: possible hydrothermal source. Geo-Marine Letters 7, 223–231 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02242775

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02242775

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