Nature and distribution of manganese nodules from three sediment domains of the Central Indian Basin, Indian Ocean

Abstract

Manganese nodules from the Central Indian Basin (5°–10°S) vary in abundance, morphology, mineralogy, and chemistry with water depth and sediment type. Nodules from the southern region, dominated by siliceous sediment, differ markedly from northern and central regions, dominated by terrigenous and terrigenous-siliceous mixed sediments, respectively. Effects of lysocline and sediment diagenesis are envisaged for trace metal enrichment in rough nodules of the southern region. Influence of deep ocean bottom currents have been postulated for the atypical trace metal enrichment of the smooth nodules from other regions. While nodules from other areas of sub-equatorial CIB are grown hydrogenetically, present area nodules show diagenetic influence.