Manganese Nodules from the Tasman Sea, 4300m Depth

Two manganese nodules recovered from a water depth of 4300 meters in the Tasman Sea southeast of Sydney. The nodules are about 10 cm in diameter and have a low Mn:Fe ratio with measured contents of nickel (0.25%), copper (0.17%), and cobalt (0.06%). This record is provided by the Australian Ocean Data Network and was last updated in June 2026.

Use Cases

• Analyze the geochemical composition of deep-sea manganese nodules based on the reported Ni, Cu, and Co percentages.
• Study the formation environment of nodules based on their association with calcareous mud below the lysocline.
• Compare the physical characteristics of nodules based on the described subspherical shape and 10 cm diameter.
• Investigate the mineral potential of the Tasman Sea region based on the specific location and depth data.

Strengths

• Provides precise geolocation coordinates (155° 35E, 36° 15S) and water depth (4300 m).
• Includes specific geochemical measurements for key metals: Ni (0.25%), Cu (0.17%), Co (0.06%).
• Describes physical characteristics such as nodule shape (subspherical) and size (~10 cm diameter).
• Documents the geological context, noting the nodules were found in greenish gray calcareous mud.

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 bias inherent to data_gov_au, focusing on a single location.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Recovered by HMAS Kimbla from the seafloor.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-05 07:42:56.987035; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Tasman Sea, approximately 250 nautical miles southeast of Sydney, Australia.