Oceanic Ferromanganese Deposits

Dear Colleagues,

Ferromanganese oxides are a ubiquitous mineral occurrence in the oceanic realm resulting from the precipitation of Fe and Mn oxides from three-endmember fluids—hydrothermal, seawater (hydrogenetic), and/or pore fluid (diagenetic). The metal enrichment may involve microbial involvement. As such, Fe-Mn oxide deposits are found in a large range of environments, with characteristic morphologies, mineralogies, and compositions reflecting their origin(s).

Owing to the unique physio-chemical properties of Fe-Mn oxides and their slow rate of formation, nodules and hydrogenetic crusts constitute effective scavengers of dissolved species in seawater and pore fluids. As a result, Fe-Mn nodules and crusts are widely regarded as a major repository for many elements of growing economic interest (Co, Ni, Cu, Pt, Te, REY) whilst hydrothermal deposits, usually of low-economic potential, can sometimes present unusual metal content but potentially scavenge the elements from hydrothermal plumes which are now known to disperse over large oceanic areas. Additionally, the growth layers of hydrogenetic deposits record the chemical evolution of seawater through time as they precipitate layer by layer. From this perspective, crusts and nodules form condensed paleoceanographic archives of major geological and climatic events, on tectonic timescales, affecting the chemical budget of our oceans through the differential weathering of continental landmass, evolution of basin morphology and water masses, and the opening and closing of oceanic gateways. These records can extend as far back as the Late Cretaceous on the oldest seamounts found in the world oceans.

The formation of ferromanganese deposits may also involve benthic biogeochemical processes, and thus the study of ferromanganese deposits cuts across many scientific disciplines to unlock their full economic and paleoceanographic potential. However, the attractiveness and development of many of these deposits is hindered by the lack of constraints on their spatial variability, continuity over areas sufficient to sustain potential mining activity, and our poor understanding of the disturbance of marine environments associated with human activities.

For this Special Issue, we welcome any contributions related to oceanic ferromanganese deposits, their mineralogy, elemental and isotope geochemistry, substrate/nucleus characteristics and origin, benthic biogeochemical aspects of depositional areas, their evolution through time, their full economic potential, technological development for exploration and mining, modern ore processing techniques, exploitation management, and environmental impact studies of marine mining activities.

Prof. Dr. Luigi Jovane
Dr. Pierre Josso
Prof. Dr. B. Nagender Nath
Guest Editors

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