Due to ocean water precipitation or ion exchange between ocean water and sediments, hydrogenous sediment forms. Examples include metal sulfides, evaporites, and manganese nodules. This type of sediment comes from dissolved material in water.
Origin
Within seawater, minerals precipitate out of solution due to chemical reactions. Precipitation involves the change from the dissolved to the solid state and takes place when a change in conditions (temperature or pressure) can be observed.
Composition and Distribution
Manganese nodules are hard lumps consisting of iron, manganese, and other sorts of metals. They are commonly found on deep-ocean floors, and their major components are iron oxide (20%) and manganese dioxide (30%). Scientists remain unsure about how manganese nodules contain such high concentrations of manganese when they precipitate from seawater. It is also unknown why they exist above ocean floor sediment rather than being buried by falling sedimentary particles.
Phosphates often occur as nodules on the continental shelf and rock coatings. They are phosphorous-bearing compounds and accurately indicate where there is a high concentration of biological activity.
Calcite and aragonite, consisting of calcium carbonate, are the most important carbonate minerals in marine sediment. Although the majority of carbonate deposits are biogenous, hydrogenous carbonate deposits can sometimes precipitate from seawater and produce aragonite crystals.
Metal sulfide deposits are strongly connected with black smokers and hydrothermal vents along the mid-ocean ridge. They are composed of copper, zinc, nickel, silver, iron, and other metals.
Evaporite minerals accumulate where open ocean circulation is highly restricted and where evaporation frequently occurs. Dissolved minerals become saturated with seawater left from evaporation and later starts to precipitate. They either sink or form crusts of evaporite minerals.
Origin
Within seawater, minerals precipitate out of solution due to chemical reactions. Precipitation involves the change from the dissolved to the solid state and takes place when a change in conditions (temperature or pressure) can be observed.
Composition and Distribution
Manganese nodules are hard lumps consisting of iron, manganese, and other sorts of metals. They are commonly found on deep-ocean floors, and their major components are iron oxide (20%) and manganese dioxide (30%). Scientists remain unsure about how manganese nodules contain such high concentrations of manganese when they precipitate from seawater. It is also unknown why they exist above ocean floor sediment rather than being buried by falling sedimentary particles.
Phosphates often occur as nodules on the continental shelf and rock coatings. They are phosphorous-bearing compounds and accurately indicate where there is a high concentration of biological activity.
Calcite and aragonite, consisting of calcium carbonate, are the most important carbonate minerals in marine sediment. Although the majority of carbonate deposits are biogenous, hydrogenous carbonate deposits can sometimes precipitate from seawater and produce aragonite crystals.
Metal sulfide deposits are strongly connected with black smokers and hydrothermal vents along the mid-ocean ridge. They are composed of copper, zinc, nickel, silver, iron, and other metals.
Evaporite minerals accumulate where open ocean circulation is highly restricted and where evaporation frequently occurs. Dissolved minerals become saturated with seawater left from evaporation and later starts to precipitate. They either sink or form crusts of evaporite minerals.