Marine Mineral Formations in the Arctic Ocean Challenge Existing Geologic Theories

Not only do these mineral formations challenge previous assumptions about geologic processes in the Arctic, but their unique composition also sets them apart from other marine minerals found in the region. Differences in their mineralogy and element composition indicate they were formed under distinctive conditions, driven by specific physical and chemical interactions beneath the seafloor.

“This discovery broadens our understanding of marine mineral formation, highlighting complex geological processes in the Arctic Ocean that were previously unrecognized,” said Amy Gartman, USGS Research Geologist and co-author of the study.

Read the study, Neogene hydrothermal Fe- and Mn-oxide mineralization of Paleozoic continental rocks, Amerasia Basin, Arctic Ocean, in Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems.