Deep-sea Sediments and Manganese Nodules from the Southern Tasman Sea, 1979

Two manganese nodules with low metal content were recovered from a depth of 4300 meters near Gascoyne Seamount in May 1979. The dataset includes results from five sampling stations in the southern Tasman Sea, with depths ranging from 4300 to 5100 meters. The data was collected by Geoscience Australia during a geological cruise on HMAS Kimble.

Use Cases

• Analyze metal content variability in manganese nodules based on reported nickel, copper, and cobalt percentages.
• Map sediment distribution based on described clay, calcareous mud, and pumice samples.
• Model the carbonate compensation depth in ocean basins based on the reported 4500-meter boundary.
• Assess the potential for nodule fields based on described environmental conditions like low sedimentation rates and oxidizing conditions.

Strengths

• Provides specific geochemical data for two nodules, including Ni (0.25%), Cu (0.17%), and Co (0.06%) content.
• Includes precise geographic context with five sampling stations and depths ranging from 4300 to 5100 meters.
• Contains a clear temporal reference to a specific research cruise in May 1979.

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data may reflect geographic and temporal bias inherent to a single 1979 cruise.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Samples recovered using free-fall grabs during a geological cruise on HMAS Kimble.

Time Range

May 1979

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-14 03:39:44.790571; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Southern Tasman Sea, specifically near Gascoyne Seamount and a central depression southeast of it.