Cape Leeuwin Manganese Nodule Deposit: Chemistry and Distribution

In 1970, a ferromanganese nodule deposit covering an estimated 900,000 km² was discovered on the Indian Ocean floor southwest of Cape Leeuwin. The dataset likely contains chemical and mineralogical analyses from about 2,000 nodules collected during a 1976 research cruise, alongside evidence of strong bottom currents shaping the 'Southeast Indian Ocean Manganese Pavement'. This data supports research into deep-sea mineral resources and paleoceanographic conditions.

Use Cases

• Analyzing ferromanganese nodule chemistry to assess mineral resource potential.
• Studying bottom current strength and sedimentation rates based on seabed scour marks and disconformities.
• Mapping the distribution of a large-scale manganese pavement for geological surveys.
• Correlating nodule mineralogy with specific oceanographic stations for spatial analysis.

Strengths

• Based on a substantial physical sample of about 2,000 nodules recovered from the seabed.
• Documents a geographically extensive feature estimated to cover 900,000 km².
• Cross-platform presence on data.gov.au indicates established curation and importance.

Limitations

• Key metadata such as column names, row counts, and license information are missing from all sources.
• Positional data from the 1976 cruise has potential errors of up to 10 km due to celestial navigation.
• The dataset appears static, representing a historical snapshot from the 1970s.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, likely originating from research by Frakes, Kennett, and Watkins.

Collection Method

Samples collected via light box dredge during the HMAS Diamantina research cruise in early 1976.

Time Range

1970-1976

Freshness

Last updated metadata on 2026-06-05, though the underlying data is from the 1970s.

Geography

Indian Ocean floor southwest of Cape Leeuwin, Western Australia.