Distribution Characteristics of Cobalt-rich Ferromanganese Crust Resources on Submarine Seamounts in the Western Pacific

• Published in: 地质学报（英文版） Vol. 82; no. 4; pp. 796 - 803
• Main Authors: ZHANG Fuyuan, ZHANG Weiyan, ZHU Kechao, GAO Shuitu, ZHANG Haisheng, ZHANG Xiaoyu, ZHU Benduo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences, State Oceanic Administration 2008; Second Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Hangzhou 310012, China%Second Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Hangzhou 310012, China%Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310012, China
• Subjects: distribution characteristics; resources; seamounts; Co-rich crusts; Western Pacific
• ISSN: 1000-9515
• DOI: 10.3321/j.issn:1000-9515.2008.04.009

P5; Based on the survey data of five submarine seamount provinces (chains) in the WesternPacific, the distribution characteristics of cobalt-rich ferromanganese crust resources have beenresearched in this paper by using the relative reference data and applying the theories of hotspot andseafloor spreading. The main research results obtained are as follows: The Co-rich crust thickness inthe study area is gradually increasing from east to west and from south to north having a negativecorrelation (r = -0.59) with longitude and a positive correlation (r = 0.48) with latitude. The crustthickness varying along longitude and latitude is influenced by the hotspot and seafioor spreading. Theoceanic crusts and seamounts in the northwest part of the study area are older, and the crust resourcesare superior to those in the southeast part. In the depth of <1500 m, 1500-2000 m, 2000-2500 m in thestudy area, the cobalt crust thickness is respectively 5.45 cm, 4.34 cm and 3.55 on, and in the depth of2500-3000 m and 3000-3500 m, it drops respectively to 2.84 cm and 3.37 cm. The Co-rich crustresources are mainly concentrated in the seamount summit margins and the upper flanks in the depthof <2500 m. There is a strong negative correlation (r = -0.67) between the cobalt crust abundance andthe slope of the seamount, 75 kg/m2 and 50 kg/m2 at the slopes of 0°- 20° and 20°- 34° respectively.Cobalt crusts are mainly distributed in the parts whose slopes are less than 20°. It is consistent with thefractal result that the slope threshold of cobalt crust distribution is 19°, and slopes over 20° are notconducive to the crust growth. The cobalt crusts of high grade are mainly enriched in the region within150°E-140°W and 30°S-30°N in the Pacific, where there are about 587 seamounts at the depth of 3500-6000 m and over 30 Ma of the oceanic crusts. The perspective area rich in cobalt crust resources isabout 41×104 km2 and the resource quantity is approximately 27 billion tons.