Fine scale study of major and trace elements in the Fe-Mn nodules from the South China Sea and their metallogenic constraints

Many marine Fe-Mn polymetallic nodules may contain high concentrations of Mn, Cu, Ni, Zn, Co and rare earth elements plus yttrium (REY). To determine the occurrence and enrichment processes of these metals in the Fe-Mn nodules, we conducted high resolution mineralogical and geochemical studies on the Fe-Mn nodules collected from the South China Sea. In-situ EPMA and LA-ICP-MS analyses and elemental imaging were performed on individual microlayers of the nodules to reveal the major and trace element distributions.