Chemical composition and rate of accumulation of manganese nodules in the western North Pacific

The major and some of the minor constituents and the rate of accumulation of manganese nodules in the western North Pacific were determined. Manganese concentration in the nodules ranged from 20 to 30 per cent in the acid soluble fraction. As to the rare earth concentration, enrichment of cerium was observed in the manganese nodule as compared with that in shales or sea water. Thorium to uranium ratio in the nodule ranged from 9.4 to 14.3, which was very much higher than that in sea water. From the distribution of excess ionium, excess protactinium and Io/Th ratio, a rate of accumulation of 7 mm per million years was obtained with the surface layer of several mm in thickness of the JEDS-4-E4 nodule.