Concentrations of rare earth elements in pore waters of IODP Holes 323-U1345A and 323-U1345B

We studied the diagenetic behavior of rare earth elements (REEs) in a highly productive passive margin setting of the Bering Sea Slope. Site U1345 was drilled during the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 323 at a water depth of 1008 m currently in the center of an oxygen minimum zone. Pore water concentrations of fourteen REEs were determined down to ~ 140 meters below the seafloor (mbsf). The REE concentrations were higher in the pore water than the deep seawater, indicating that there was significant liberation from the sediments during diagenesis. There was a major peak at ~ 10 mbsf that was more pronounced for the heavy REE (HREE); this peak occurred below the sulfate-methane transition zone (6.3 mbsf) and coincided with high concentrations of dissolved iron and manganese. At ~ 2 mbsf, there was a minor peak in REE and Mn contents. Below ~ 40 mbsf, the REE concentration profiles remained constant. The Ce anomaly was insignificant and relatively constant (PAAS-normalized Ce/Ce = 1.1 ± 0.2) throughout the depth profile, showing that the Ce depleted in seawater was restored in the pore water. HREE-enrichment was observed over the entire 140 m except for the upper ~ 1 m, where a middle REE (MREE)-bulge was apparent. REE release in shallow depths (2-4 mbsf) is attributed to the release of light REEs (LREEs) and MREEs during the organoclastic reduction of Mn oxides in anoxic sediments. The high HREE concentrations observed at ~ 10 mbsf can be attributed to the reduction of Fe and Mn minerals tied to anaerobic oxidation of methane or, less significantly, to ferromagnesian silicate mineral weathering. The upward diffusion flux across the sediment-water interface was between 3 (for Tm) and 290 (for Ce) pmol/m**2/y.

Trace-element contents in ash samples from DSDP Leg 19 sediments

The Sr, Rb, Ti, and Zr concentrations of 16 volcanic ash samples from Leg 19 of the Deep Sea Drilling Project were determined by X-ray fluorescence. The age of each ash sample had been established previously by faunal criteria and had been confirmed by fission-track dating. Variations in the trace-element concentrations through the past 8 m.y. are clearly seen. Seven of the ashes are older than 4 m.y., have low TiO2 contents, and have Sr concentrations of less than 200 ppm; they are thus similar to tholeiitic basalts of island arcs. Nine ashes are younger than 4 m.y. and are similar in trace-element content to andesite. Magmatic evolution of the Aleutian arc over the past 8 m.y. is clearly shown.

Concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Co, Ni, Pb, Cd, B, and SiO2 in interstitial waters from bottom sediments of the Atlantis II and Discovery Deeps, Red Sea rift zone

Chemical analyzes show that interstitial waters from ore-bearing bottom sediments of the Atlantis II and Discovery Deeps are enriched in Fe, Mn, Cu, Ni, Co, Zn, Pb, and Cd compared to sea water. Enrichment factors of these trace elements in the interstitial waters of the Atlantis II Deep relative to the sea water vary within the following ranges: for Fe from 100 to 7000, for Mn from 19047 to 32738, for Zn from 500 to 1600, for Pb from 78333 to 190000, for Cu from 107 to 654. Comparison of average weighted concentrations of Fe, Mn, Zn, Pb, Cu, Ni in the bottom sediments and the interstitial waters of the Atlantis II Deep indicates common regularities and good relationship in distribution of these elements along sediment cores. Differences in concentrations and distribution of the studied trace elements in the interstitial waters of the Atlantis II and Discovery Deeps result from different chemical compositions of hydrothermal fluids entering these deeps.

Major- and trace-elements at DSDP Legs 68-70 Holes

The basalts recovered from the Costa Rica Rift by drilling at Deep Sea Drilling Project Sites 501, 504, and 505 during Legs 68, 69 and 70 of the Glomar Challenger are the most depleted in the most-hygromagmaphile elements (Th, Ta, Nb, and La) of all MORB recovered to date by the Glomar Challenger. The invariant ratios Nb/Ta, Zr/Hf, and Y/Tb show "chondritic values" (expected for Nb/Ta because of the very low concentrations in these elements). Four samples from a single unit are exceptions: they present a flat to slightly enriched, extended Coryell-Masuda plot, and at the same time their La/Ta ratio is 9 (normalized ratio = 1) instead of 19 (normalized ratio = 2), the value for all other samples. Only one of these two values of the La/Ta ratio had been found so far within a single hole, and moreover within large areas of the oceanic crust (several holes or dredges). The present result shows that local heterogeneity of the upper mantle with respect to the La/Ta ratio may exist.