Discovery of Dense Ferromanganese Nodules in the Central Basin of the South China Sea: Insights Into Metallogenesis Processes and Resource Potential
Abstract Ferromanganese deposits in the South China Sea (SCS) hold significant strategic metal resources, yet their distribution remains poorly understood. To address this gap, we conducted an integrated study across 6,600 km2 in the central basin of the SCS, combining sampling, seafloor video, and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL115849 |
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| author | Jiangbo Ren Yong Yang Lixue Zhang Limin Zhang Yinan Deng Yingzhi Ren Shuang Hong Jinfeng Ma Xianze Deng Miao Yu Zhen Sun Gaowen He |
| author_facet | Jiangbo Ren Yong Yang Lixue Zhang Limin Zhang Yinan Deng Yingzhi Ren Shuang Hong Jinfeng Ma Xianze Deng Miao Yu Zhen Sun Gaowen He |
| author_sort | Jiangbo Ren |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Ferromanganese deposits in the South China Sea (SCS) hold significant strategic metal resources, yet their distribution remains poorly understood. To address this gap, we conducted an integrated study across 6,600 km2 in the central basin of the SCS, combining sampling, seafloor video, and multi‐beam backscatter acoustic surveys. A high‐backscatter zone of 1.21 km2 on the Jiaolong seamount was identified as a ferromanganese nodule‐rich area, contrasting with the abyssal basin. The ferromanganese nodules exhibit high vernadite contents and atypical hydrogenesis characteristics, including high Fe/Mn and Fe/Co ratios, and elevated Pb and rare earth element contents. These features suggest that marginal seas are more effective in supplying short‐life cycle elements. Seamounts in the central basin may enhance circulation efficiency, facilitating sediment removal and dissolved oxygen recharge, thereby promoting ferromanganese deposit formation in certain areas. This study contributes to the further exploration of ferromanganese deposits in the SCS. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a29b99dec6cc4d54a7e4f91a29b5c549 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-a29b99dec6cc4d54a7e4f91a29b5c5492025-08-20T02:01:20ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-05-01529n/an/a10.1029/2025GL115849Discovery of Dense Ferromanganese Nodules in the Central Basin of the South China Sea: Insights Into Metallogenesis Processes and Resource PotentialJiangbo Ren0Yong Yang1Lixue Zhang2Limin Zhang3Yinan Deng4Yingzhi Ren5Shuang Hong6Jinfeng Ma7Xianze Deng8Miao Yu9Zhen Sun10Gaowen He11Key Laboratory of Marine Mineral Resources Ministry of Natural Resources Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey China Geological Survey Guangzhou ChinaKey Laboratory of Marine Mineral Resources Ministry of Natural Resources Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey China Geological Survey Guangzhou ChinaKey Laboratory of Marine Mineral Resources Ministry of Natural Resources Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey China Geological Survey Guangzhou ChinaKey Laboratory of Marine Mineral Resources Ministry of Natural Resources Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey China Geological Survey Guangzhou ChinaKey Laboratory of Marine Mineral Resources Ministry of Natural Resources Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey China Geological Survey Guangzhou ChinaKey Laboratory of Marine Mineral Resources Ministry of Natural Resources Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey China Geological Survey Guangzhou ChinaKey Laboratory of Marine Mineral Resources Ministry of Natural Resources Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey China Geological Survey Guangzhou ChinaKey Laboratory of Marine Mineral Resources Ministry of Natural Resources Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey China Geological Survey Guangzhou ChinaKey Laboratory of Marine Mineral Resources Ministry of Natural Resources Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey China Geological Survey Guangzhou ChinaKey Laboratory of Marine Mineral Resources Ministry of Natural Resources Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey China Geological Survey Guangzhou ChinaKey Laboratory of Marine Mineral Resources Ministry of Natural Resources Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey China Geological Survey Guangzhou ChinaKey Laboratory of Marine Mineral Resources Ministry of Natural Resources Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey China Geological Survey Guangzhou ChinaAbstract Ferromanganese deposits in the South China Sea (SCS) hold significant strategic metal resources, yet their distribution remains poorly understood. To address this gap, we conducted an integrated study across 6,600 km2 in the central basin of the SCS, combining sampling, seafloor video, and multi‐beam backscatter acoustic surveys. A high‐backscatter zone of 1.21 km2 on the Jiaolong seamount was identified as a ferromanganese nodule‐rich area, contrasting with the abyssal basin. The ferromanganese nodules exhibit high vernadite contents and atypical hydrogenesis characteristics, including high Fe/Mn and Fe/Co ratios, and elevated Pb and rare earth element contents. These features suggest that marginal seas are more effective in supplying short‐life cycle elements. Seamounts in the central basin may enhance circulation efficiency, facilitating sediment removal and dissolved oxygen recharge, thereby promoting ferromanganese deposit formation in certain areas. This study contributes to the further exploration of ferromanganese deposits in the SCS.https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL115849ferromanganese depositsferromanganese nodulesbackscatter intensityseafloor videoSouth China Sea |
| spellingShingle | Jiangbo Ren Yong Yang Lixue Zhang Limin Zhang Yinan Deng Yingzhi Ren Shuang Hong Jinfeng Ma Xianze Deng Miao Yu Zhen Sun Gaowen He Discovery of Dense Ferromanganese Nodules in the Central Basin of the South China Sea: Insights Into Metallogenesis Processes and Resource Potential Geophysical Research Letters ferromanganese deposits ferromanganese nodules backscatter intensity seafloor video South China Sea |
| title | Discovery of Dense Ferromanganese Nodules in the Central Basin of the South China Sea: Insights Into Metallogenesis Processes and Resource Potential |
| title_full | Discovery of Dense Ferromanganese Nodules in the Central Basin of the South China Sea: Insights Into Metallogenesis Processes and Resource Potential |
| title_fullStr | Discovery of Dense Ferromanganese Nodules in the Central Basin of the South China Sea: Insights Into Metallogenesis Processes and Resource Potential |
| title_full_unstemmed | Discovery of Dense Ferromanganese Nodules in the Central Basin of the South China Sea: Insights Into Metallogenesis Processes and Resource Potential |
| title_short | Discovery of Dense Ferromanganese Nodules in the Central Basin of the South China Sea: Insights Into Metallogenesis Processes and Resource Potential |
| title_sort | discovery of dense ferromanganese nodules in the central basin of the south china sea insights into metallogenesis processes and resource potential |
| topic | ferromanganese deposits ferromanganese nodules backscatter intensity seafloor video South China Sea |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL115849 |
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