Chemical composition of ocean phosphorites and hosted sediments

The book provides an overview of recent data on processes of dispersion and concentration of phosphorus in marine sedimentation. Distribution, chemical and mineral compositions, structure and age of phosphorites occurring on the floor are described. Phosphorites are one of potential mineral resources of the World Ocean. A scheme of multistage-oceanic phosphorite formation is motivated. Modern and pre-Quaternary phosphorite formations in the ocean are paralleled.本书系统梳理了海洋沉积过程中磷元素的分散与富集过程的最新研究数据。书中详述了海底赋存的磷块岩（phosphorites）的分布特征、化学与矿物组成、结构及形成年代。磷块岩是全球海洋潜在的矿产资源之一。本书提出了多阶段大洋磷块岩的成矿模式，并对该模式的合理性进行了论证。本书还对现代海洋与第四纪前的磷块岩地层开展了对比研究。