Average composition of metalliferous sediment layers from Nereus Deep

Nereus Deep is situated within the NW-SE trending median valley of the Red Sea and is divided along its length by a saddle into two parallel basins. Each basin contains a number of distinct depressions which either contain brine pools, or show evidence of having contained them in the past. Geochemical analysis of unwashed samples of sediment cores from the Deep has been undertaken for Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni, Co, Cr, Hg and Ca using atomic absorption techniques. This has confirmed the observed presence of several metalliferous layers within the sediments.