AUTHIGENIC SEDIMENTS

BY
PRAVEEN GEDDAM
DEPT OF GEOLOGY ,AU.
INTRODUCTION
 Authigenic sediments: Particles that are preicipitated by chemical or
bio chemical reactions in sea water near the sea floor.
 Authigenic minerals are formed in in situ in sediments and on the
ocean floor. They recod the physiochemical and biological reactions
that operated during the deposition and alteration of oceanflooor
[Link] form from the slow precipitaion of minerals from
sea water.
 Five groups persist in deep-sea sediments:
1. Metal rich sediments and iron oxides
2. Manganese nodules
3. Phosphorites
4. Zeolites and
5. Barites
 Metal-rich sediments and iron Oxides
 Transition metal-enriched sedimentary
deposits are closely associated with actively
spreading mid oceanic [Link]
sediments are enriched in
iron,manganese,copper,chromium,lead, and
other metals in areas of high heat flow near
the ridge crest and their genisis is closely
linked with the genaration of new ocean
floor.
 Three distnct types of metal rich deposits
have been identified in present day ridge
crest,environments.
1. Iron manganese-rich
Fig. : Active high-temperature black
smoker chimneys associated with the 2. Manganese-rich
formation of metal ridge sediments
3. Iron sulphide rich but manganese depleted
 All three have been ascribed to
hydrothermal activity,either surficial or deep
seated associated with oceanic ridge
volcanic activity
Manganese Nodules
 They contain billions of tons of
metals and besides manganese,
nodules are rich in
nickel,copper,cobalt,iron and
traces of two dozen other
[Link] deposits have
stimulated political action
regarding the international law
of the open ocean and its sea
floor.
 Manganese nodules are very
widspread on the sea
floor ,occuring as nodules,crusts,
or thin coatings on rock .nodules
are layered concentrically like an
onion,around a central nucleus
of variable [Link]
concentric layers of manganese
nodules represent compositional
and mineralogical boundaries.
Geochemistry of manganese nodules
Deep sea nodules genarally accumulate
sowly, causing a prolonged contact between the
ferromanganese oxides and sea water. This allows
increased scavenging of minor elements. Sea water is
supersaturated in manganese (mn+2)which is the
principal source of the precipitaion of Mno3
 The mno2 will not precipitated in free [Link]
requires the catalytic effect of a precipitaion
surface,which requires a nucleus ,nodule,or rock
surface to begin.
Orgin of nodules

 The challenger expedition produced four major hypotheses of nodule

formation:
1. HYDROGENOUS : Precipitation from sea water
2. HYDROTHERMAL: Precipitation from hydrothermal solution from
submarine volcanoes
3. HALMYROLITIC : Weathering of submarine volcanic rocks and debris
4. DIAGENITIC : Remobilization of Mn in the sediment column and
reprecipitation at the sediment water interface
 Most nodules grow while being rolled over the sediment surface or
being nudged by benthonic organisms and tend to form in
environments where the sedimentation rate is 4 to 8mm per 1000
years and which are marginal to the equitorial biogenic province and
flanks of the mid oceanic ridges
 Large concentration nodules occur in the north and south pacific and
extensive nodules provinces occurs in areas of lowest sedimentation.
 phosphorites
 Phosphorites are sedimentary rocks
composed mainly of phosphate
(p2o5)minerals,principally microcrystalline
carbonate fluorapatite.
 They occur in two broad tectonic settings:
1. In thin sequence (<30cm) on
continental shelves and upper
continental slopes,plateus,and shallow
water rises and calcareous muds
2. In thick sequences(>100m) in
geosynclines associated with organic
rich shales ,cherts and dolomites with
Fig :occur along the eastern subordinate limestone.
margins of some ocean basins  Phosphorites may be formed by the
where deep-water upwelling
occurs under areas of high biologic replacement of carbonate by phosphate
productivity. in anoxic biogenic sediments , the
phosphates being derived from the
production of plankton in surface
water.
 Also The formation of Phosphorites
directly from nutrient rich intermediate
waters
zeolites
 Zeolites are hydrous aluminosilicate
minerlas similar in compostion to
the feldspars and formed as
secondary weathering product.
 They are associated with slowly
accumulating deep sea sediments –
particularly brown clays.
 The two most widespread groups in
deep sea sediments are
1. Phillipsite:occurs as
Fig shows phillipsite elongate,prismatic crystals and it
comprise 50% carbonate free
sediment.
2. Clinoptilolite : formed as a result
of alrteration of acidic volcanic
materials especailly rhyolite or
volcanic glass
 Marine barite
 Barite (baso4) is widespread in
deep sea sediments in
crystalline or microcrystalline
phases or as replacement
material of fecal pellets
 Its concentration averages 1
percent,but it can form upto
10 percent by weight of the
calcium carbonate free fraction
in some sediments
 Formed by either by
accumulations from submarine
SEM photographs showing hydrothermal activity or from
representative examples of barite biogenic material.
from the Pacific sector.
REFERENCE BOOK
 MARINE GEOLOGY BY JAMES KENNETT

 PICTURES FROM INTERNET AND FROM (GSI

MARRIPALEM MARINE WING) TAKEN DURING
NATIONAL SCENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS 2022