Controls on the distribution of rare earth elements in deep-sea sediments in the North Atlantic Ocean
Deep-sea sediments can contain relatively high concentrations of rare earth elements and yttrium (REY), with a growing interest in their exploitation as an alternative to land-based REY resources. To understand the processes that lead to enrichment of the REY in deep-sea sediments, we have undertake...
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ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:514634 2023-05-15T17:30:52+02:00 Controls on the distribution of rare earth elements in deep-sea sediments in the North Atlantic Ocean Menendez, Amaya James, Rachael A. Roberts, Stephen Peel, Kate Connelly, Douglas 2017-07 text http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/514634/ https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/514634/1/Menendez%20MS%20with%20no%20changes%20marked.docx https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2016.09.036 en eng https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/514634/1/Menendez%20MS%20with%20no%20changes%20marked.docx Menendez, Amaya; James, Rachael A.; Roberts, Stephen; Peel, Kate; Connelly, Douglas. 2017 Controls on the distribution of rare earth elements in deep-sea sediments in the North Atlantic Ocean. Ore Geology Reviews, 87. 100-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2016.09.036 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2016.09.036> Publication - Article PeerReviewed 2017 ftnerc https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2016.09.036 2023-02-04T19:43:37Z Deep-sea sediments can contain relatively high concentrations of rare earth elements and yttrium (REY), with a growing interest in their exploitation as an alternative to land-based REY resources. To understand the processes that lead to enrichment of the REY in deep-sea sediments, we have undertaken a detailed geochemical study of sediments recovered from the Atlantic Ocean, on a transect along ~24 ?N that includes the deep Nares Abyssal Plain and the Canary and North America Basins. Total REY concentrations (?REY) range from 7.99 to 513 ppm, and total concentrations of the heavy REY (Eu - Lu) range from 0.993 to 56.3 ppm. REY concentrations are highest in slowly accumulating pelagic red clays, especially in samples that contain ferromanganese micronodules. Factor analysis reveals that hydrogenous Fe- and Mn-(oxyhydr)oxides are the primary REY carrier phase in the red clays. In situ analysis of individual micronodules confirms that they have high ?REY (up to 3620 ppm). REY concentrations are higher in micronodules that have a hydrogenous source, characterized by higher Fe/Mn, compared to micronodules that have a diagenetic source. The ?REY content of North Atlantic deep-sea sediments is ~4 times lower than in Pacific deep-sea sediments. We calculate that the area of seafloor required to extract ~10% of the global annual REY demand is ~100 km2, assuming removal of the upper 1m of sediment. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive Pacific Nares ENVELOPE(158.167,158.167,-81.450,-81.450) Ore Geology Reviews 87 100 113 |
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Open Polar |
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Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive |
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ftnerc |
language |
English |
description |
Deep-sea sediments can contain relatively high concentrations of rare earth elements and yttrium (REY), with a growing interest in their exploitation as an alternative to land-based REY resources. To understand the processes that lead to enrichment of the REY in deep-sea sediments, we have undertaken a detailed geochemical study of sediments recovered from the Atlantic Ocean, on a transect along ~24 ?N that includes the deep Nares Abyssal Plain and the Canary and North America Basins. Total REY concentrations (?REY) range from 7.99 to 513 ppm, and total concentrations of the heavy REY (Eu - Lu) range from 0.993 to 56.3 ppm. REY concentrations are highest in slowly accumulating pelagic red clays, especially in samples that contain ferromanganese micronodules. Factor analysis reveals that hydrogenous Fe- and Mn-(oxyhydr)oxides are the primary REY carrier phase in the red clays. In situ analysis of individual micronodules confirms that they have high ?REY (up to 3620 ppm). REY concentrations are higher in micronodules that have a hydrogenous source, characterized by higher Fe/Mn, compared to micronodules that have a diagenetic source. The ?REY content of North Atlantic deep-sea sediments is ~4 times lower than in Pacific deep-sea sediments. We calculate that the area of seafloor required to extract ~10% of the global annual REY demand is ~100 km2, assuming removal of the upper 1m of sediment. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Menendez, Amaya James, Rachael A. Roberts, Stephen Peel, Kate Connelly, Douglas |
spellingShingle |
Menendez, Amaya James, Rachael A. Roberts, Stephen Peel, Kate Connelly, Douglas Controls on the distribution of rare earth elements in deep-sea sediments in the North Atlantic Ocean |
author_facet |
Menendez, Amaya James, Rachael A. Roberts, Stephen Peel, Kate Connelly, Douglas |
author_sort |
Menendez, Amaya |
title |
Controls on the distribution of rare earth elements in deep-sea sediments in the North Atlantic Ocean |
title_short |
Controls on the distribution of rare earth elements in deep-sea sediments in the North Atlantic Ocean |
title_full |
Controls on the distribution of rare earth elements in deep-sea sediments in the North Atlantic Ocean |
title_fullStr |
Controls on the distribution of rare earth elements in deep-sea sediments in the North Atlantic Ocean |
title_full_unstemmed |
Controls on the distribution of rare earth elements in deep-sea sediments in the North Atlantic Ocean |
title_sort |
controls on the distribution of rare earth elements in deep-sea sediments in the north atlantic ocean |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/514634/ https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/514634/1/Menendez%20MS%20with%20no%20changes%20marked.docx https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2016.09.036 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(158.167,158.167,-81.450,-81.450) |
geographic |
Pacific Nares |
geographic_facet |
Pacific Nares |
genre |
North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic |
op_relation |
https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/514634/1/Menendez%20MS%20with%20no%20changes%20marked.docx Menendez, Amaya; James, Rachael A.; Roberts, Stephen; Peel, Kate; Connelly, Douglas. 2017 Controls on the distribution of rare earth elements in deep-sea sediments in the North Atlantic Ocean. Ore Geology Reviews, 87. 100-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2016.09.036 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2016.09.036> |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2016.09.036 |
container_title |
Ore Geology Reviews |
container_volume |
87 |
container_start_page |
100 |
op_container_end_page |
113 |
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1766127990026010624 |