(Table 1, page 129) Chemical composition of ferromanganese coating on glacial erratics from Lydonia Canyon

Ferromanganese coatings have been found on glacial erratics in Lydonia Canyon, off the United States northeastern coast. The coatings, which are about 17 µm thick, consist of an outer manganese-rich layer which covers the top of the erratic, a middle transitional layer, and an internal iron-rich layer that encircles the entire surface of the erratic. Chemical analyses of the coatings, when compared with similar data on abyssal marine ferromanganese deposits, reveal comparable Mn/Fe ratios, higher P and Ti concentrations, and an order of magnitude less of Co, Ni, Cu, and most other metals. A comparison of the Lydonia Canyon coatings with desert varnishes reveals obvious chemical, mineralogical, and morphological differences.

(Table, page 500) Geochemistry of a pancake-shaped concretion from lake Charlotte, Canada

A pancake-shaped concretion from Ship Harbour Lake, a small freshwater lake in eastern Nova Scotia (now named Lake Charlotte) is part of collection sent to the National Museum of Canada by Mr. R. A. Logan, of the Pan American Airvays. These concretions are of similar to the well-known marine concretions with a composition similar to wad. These are known only from abyssmal depths of the sea in the red clay deposits, while the present concretions occur in very shallow lake waters. They should be of interest to geologists, who may be concerned with the rather difficult problem which some concretions raise of distinguishing between concretions of syngenitic and epigenetic origin.

Chemical compositions of monomineral fractions from Fe-Mn crusts and of their host rocks, seamounts of the Sea of Japan

It has been established (with use of analytical electron microscopy) that Fe-Mn crusts from two seamounts of the Sea of Japan consist predominantly of an association of birnessite minerals including Ca-birnessite and clinobirnessite. The latter is represented by twins, which form regular integrowths with 14 Å Ca-birnessite. Ore material from the third seamount (Tarasov submarine volcano) consists only of fibrous todorokite, which forms spherulitic nodules, blocks, and laminar formations. Its chemical composition is close to that of todorokite from the Galapagos rift zone.

Chemical composition of the chalcophanite rich surface of an encrusted rock ashore Lake Macquarie, Australia

Mineralogical interest in the nature of manganese oxide particulates in natural marine water (Suess, 1979), natural lake water (Klaveness, 1977), and simulated lake water (Giovanoli, 1980), prompted a search for such particulates in a large New South Wales coastal lake. The investigated waters did show the existence of manganese oxide replacement phenomena in fragmentary sedimentary rocks near the south margin of Lake Macquarie. The black crusts of manganese oxide discovered on rocks close to the waterline have revealed a three layers structure. Layer A (0-35 micron), adjacent to the rock, is composed essentially of kaolinite of weathering origin, together with low levels of manganese oxide without detectable Zn. Layer B (35-80 micron) follows as a manganese oxide layer containing admixed kaolinite and low amounts of Zn. Layer C (80-130 micron) is the closest to the surface and is made of Chalcophanite containing 10-15% of ZnO.

Chemical composition of nodules and crusts from the Sea of Japan

Iron-manganese mineralization on seamounts and rises in the Sea of Japan is represented by iron-manganese nodules and crusts. Their chemical composition (major elements and more than 30 trace elements) was studied by a series of analytical methods. According to geochemical comparisons hydrogenic, hydrothermal, and biogenic materials have participated in creation of this mineralization. Contents of Ba and Li, as well as Mo/Pb and Sb/As ratios can be used as indicators of genesis of iron-manganese nodules and crusts along with composition of the rare earth elements.