Cape Leeuwin Manganese Nodule Chemistry and Mineralogy Samples

A 1976 research cruise by HMAS Diamantina sampled about 2000 ferromanganese nodules from the Indian Ocean floor southwest of Cape Leeuwin. The deposit, discovered in 1970 and estimated to cover approximately 900,000 km², was studied for its chemistry and mineralogy. Data likely originates from Geoscience Australia.

Use Cases

• Analyze the chemical composition of manganese nodules based on the described sampling for chemistry.
• Study the mineralogy of deep-sea ferromanganese deposits based on the described sampling for mineralogy.
• Model the distribution of seafloor nodules based on the described large deposit area.
• Investigate the relationship between bottom currents and nodule formation based on the evidence of strong currents mentioned.

Strengths

• Focus on a large, specific deposit estimated to cover approximately 900,000 km².
• Sample collection of about 2000 nodules from a dedicated 10-day research cruise.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Positioning was by celestial navigation, with potential errors of up to 10 km noted.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Samples collected using a light box dredge during a 1976 research cruise (HMAS Diamantina).

Time Range

1976

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-25 15:48:56.992065; freshness should be verified

Geography

Indian Ocean floor southwest of Cape Leeuwin, Western Australia.