The characterization of ferromanganese crust and its redox change, Western Pacific Magellan seamounts

Abstract

Biotic/abiotic redox reaction is a ubiquitous process in mineral formation and growth, and changes in elemental redox states, particularly Fe/Mn may reflect the redox conditions in the sediment/ocean when the mineral forms. Samples were dredged from the seamounts in the western Pacific, OSM11 in order to investigate the formation, growth and its implications to geological history. The crust consist of five well-defined layers (here after called “layer 1” (rim) through “layer 5” (core)). Quartz, feldspar, and hematite are detected only in the layer 1 in addition to the poorly crystallined Fe-rich vernadite, which is likely to be associated with slower growth rate compared to the layers 2-5. CFA were identified in layers 4 and 5 under XRD measurement. Visible size of white colored well crystallined CFA were only observed in layer 4 whereas nano-sized CFA in layer 5 were identified by TEM. Clay minerals such as smectite were observed by TEM with SAED pattern and EDX in layers 1 and 3. The oxidation states of Fe and Mn in Fe-rich vernadite in entire layers were determined by EELS analysis. All the layers of Mn oxide minerals was consisted with dominantly Mn4+, which is consistent with appearance of vernadite in Fe-Mn crust. Fe-rich vernadite in layers 1 and 4 were consisted with 26-52 % of Fe3+/Fetot, dominant reduced form of Fe compared to layers 2, 3, and 5. The observed alternative patterns of Fe oxidation state dged from the seamounts in the western Pacific, OSM11 in order to investigate the formation, growth and its implications to geological history. The crust consist of five well-defined layers (here after called “layer 1” (rim) through “layer 5” (core)). Quartz, feldspar, and hematite are detected only in the layer 1 in addition to the poorly crystallined Fe-rich vernadite, which is likely to be associated with slower growth rate compared to the layers 2-5. CFA were identified in layers 4 and 5 under XRD measurement. Visible size of white colored well crystallined CFA were only observed in layer 4 whereas nano-sized CFA in layer 5 were identified by TEM. Clay minerals such as smectite were observed by TEM with SAED pattern and EDX in layers 1 and 3. The oxidation states of Fe and Mn in Fe-rich vernadite in entire layers were determined by EELS analysis. All the layers of Mn oxide minerals was consisted with dominantly Mn4+, which is consistent with appearance of vernadite in Fe-Mn crust. Fe-rich vernadite in layers 1 and 4 were consisted with 26-52 % of Fe3+/Fetot, dominant reduced form of Fe compared to layers 2, 3, and 5. The observed alternative patterns of Fe oxidation state