Detrital and authigenic(?) baddeleyite (ZrO2) in ferromanganese nodules of Central Indian Ocean Basin

Occurrence of baddeleyite (ZrO2) which is a rare mineral has been recorded in ferromanganese nodules of Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB). The mineral occurs either as independent isolated sub-rounded to elliptical grains or in clusters forming fine subhedral crystals (<3 μm) within ferromanganes...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bibhuranjan Nayak, Swapan Kumar Das, Kalyan Kumar Bhattacharyya
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2011-10-01
Series:Geoscience Frontiers
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987111000818
Description
Summary:Occurrence of baddeleyite (ZrO2) which is a rare mineral has been recorded in ferromanganese nodules of Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB). The mineral occurs either as independent isolated sub-rounded to elliptical grains or in clusters forming fine subhedral crystals (<3 μm) within ferromanganese concretionary growth bands. The mode of occurrence, textural features and chemistry of the mineral suggest detrital and possibly an authigenic origin for baddeleyite. For authigenic origin it is proposed that zirconium might have got released either from the terrigenous sediments or the altered seafloor rocks forming halogen complexes and subsequently it has re-precipitated in the form of baddeleyite within manganese nodules under oxic to sub-oxic conditions.
ISSN:1674-9871