Ferromanganese Nodule and Crust Chemical Data from Dampier Ridge and Lord Howe Rise

Geoscience Australia Data provides chemical and mineralogical data for four ferromanganese samples collected by the West German vessel Sonne. The dataset includes two nodules and two crusts from the Dampier Ridge and Lord Howe Rise off eastern Australia, with water depths ranging from 1549 to 2700 meters. Data was last updated on 2026-03-25.

Use Cases

• Classifying ferromanganese deposit types based on described morphologies like mononucleate nodules, polynucleate nodules, and laminated crusts.
• Analyzing the relationship between water depth and metal content based on described Mn:Fe ratios and Ni, Cu, Co percentages.
• Identifying potential regions for economic nodule exploration based on the comparison with deeper water stations mentioned in the description.
• Studying hydrogenetic mineral formation processes in marine environments.

Strengths

• Includes data from four distinct samples with detailed collection context (dredge and core, specific vessels, precise water depths).
• Provides specific chemical ranges for key metrics like Mn:Fe ratios (0.48-0.91) and comparisons to deeper water data.
• Describes physical characteristics such as deposit thickness (up to 20 cm) and substrate types (granite, gabbro, sandstone).

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 two specific regions off Australia.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Data collected from dredge and core samples by the West German vessel Sonne.

Time Range

Collection date is not specified.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-25 16:11:24.561939; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Dampier Ridge and Lord Howe Rise off eastern Australia.