• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.145-156
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• 2012

Seafloor hydrothermal system occurs along the volcanic mid-ocean ridge, back-arc spreading center, and other submarine volcanic regions. The hydrothermal system is one of the fundamental processes controlling the transfer of energy and matter between crust/mantle and ocean; it forms hydrothermal vents where various deepsea biological communities are inhabited and precipitates metal sulfide deposits. Hydrothermal systems at convergence plate boundaries show diverse geochemical properties due to recycle of subducted material compared to simple systems at mid-ocean ridges. Sulfur isotopes can be used to evaluate such diversity in generation and evolution of hydrothermal system. In this paper, we review the sulfur isotope composition and geochemistry of hydrothermal precipitates sampled from several hydrothermal vents in the divergent plate boundaries in the western Pacific region. Both sulfide and sulfate minerals of the hydrothermal vents in the arc and backarc tectonic settings commonly show low sulfur isotope compositions, which can be attributed to input of magmatic $SO_2$ gas. Diversity in geochemistry of hydrothermal system suggests an active role of magma in the formation of seafloor hydrothermal system.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.167-176
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• 2008

Lau basin of the south Pacific, as an active back arc basin, is promising area bearing seafloor massive hydrothermal deposit that is located in a subduction zone between the Pacific ocean plate and Indo-Australian continental plate. We performed multi-beam bathymetry survey in the Lau basin using EM120, to find out high hydrothermal activity Bone. Fonualei Rift and Spreading Center (FRSC) and Mangatolou Triple Junction (MTJ) area were selected for precise site survey through seafloor morphology investigation. The result of surface and deep-tow magnetometer survey showed that Central Anomaly Magnetization High (CAMH) recorded which is associated with active ridge in FRSC-2 and revealed very low magnetic anomalies that can be connected to past or present high hydrothermal activity in MTJ-1 seamount area. Moreover, the physical and chemical tracers of hydrothermal vent flume, i.e., transmission, hydrogen ion concentration (pH), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), methane (CH4) by use of CTD system, showed significant anomalies in those areas. From positive vent flume results, we could conclude that these areas were or are experiencing very active volcanic activities. The acquired chimney and hydrothermal altered bed rock samples gave us confidence of the existence of massive hydrothermal deposit. Even though not to use visual exploration equipment such as ROV, DTSSS, etc., traditional marine geophysical investigation approach might be a truly cost-effective tool for exploring seafloor hydrothermal massive deposit.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.49-61
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• 2020

We analyzed the morphological characteristics of OCC (Ocean Core Complexes) in the middle part of the Central Indian Ridge (MCIR) using high-resolution geophysical data recorded on the Deep-Tow SideScan Sonar IMI-30 system. In terms of slope-gradient variations calculated from the high-resolution bathymetry data, the normal faults formed by seafloor spreading were associated generally with slopes > 30° and resulted in high backscatter intensities, which reflect more topographic effects than acoustic medium variation. However, the areas associated with gentle slopes < 10° tend to show the backscatter intensities reflecting the acoustic characteristic of the medium. We show that the detachment faults exposing the OCCs were initiated with high-angle normal faults (58°) exhibiting outward and inward dips of a breakaway zone. In order to examine the spatial distribution of OCC structures, we characterized the transition from magmatic-dominant seafloor with abyssal hills to tectonic-dominant seafloor with OCC using the down-slope direction variation. The slope direction of the seafloor generally tends to be perpendicular to the ridge azimuth in the magmatic-dominant zone, whereas it becomes parallel to the given ridge azimuth near the OCC structures. Therefore, this spatial change of seafloor slope directions indicates that the formation of OCC structures is causally associated with the tectonic-dominant spreading rather than magmatic extension. These results also suggest that the topographical characteristics of seafloor spreading and OCC structures can be distinguished using high-resolution geophysical data. Thus, we propose that the high-resolution bathymetry and backscatter intensity data can help select potential areas of exploitation of hydrothermal deposits in MCIR effectively.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.479-490
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• 2016

Seabed drilling system has recently been used to drill seafloor mineral resources. This case report highlights the procedure and result of sea-trial of seabed drilling system at off-shore of Japan on March, 2016 as well as briefs an international-technical trend of seabed drilling system. In case of having less than 100 m drill depth, seabed drilling system is favorable for seafloor mineral deposits which are mostly distributed within a narrow district and situated between 1000~3000 m water depth, compared with vessel-mounted drilling system. The system is featured by the remotely-operated drill gear, which has top drives, drill strings and mud system on it. The core samples are generally recovered to ship with seabed driller after a dive. In this sea-trail, recovery rate of core samples averagely shows about 55% and the recovered rocks mostly correspond to fresh and/or weak-altered basalt. In case of drilling hydrothermal ore deposit, the recovery rate would be lower than 55% because of the fragile nature of ores. Alternatively it is used to collect cutting chips through riser or bins in order to increase the recovery rates. Recently a reverse circulation method is taken considered to acquire the better cutting-chips. Three-leg type outrigger system and four-leg type leveling system are the competing landing-instruments of seabed drill system. However the landing efficiency using these gears has to be further monitored due to lack of case reports.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.765-779
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• 2023

The Daum Vent Field (DVF) was newly discovered in the Central Indian Ridge during the hydrothermal expedition by the Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology (KIOST) in 2021. In this paper, we describe the detailed mineralogy and geochemistry of hydrothermal chimney and mound to understand the nature of hydrothermal mineralization in the DVF. The mineral assemblages (pyrite±sphalerite±chalcopyrite) of dominant sulfides, FeS contents (mostly <20 mole %) of sphalerite, and (Cu+Zn)/Fe values (0.001-0.22) of bulk compositions indicate that the DVF has an strong affinity with basaltic-hosted seafloor massive sulfide (SMS) deposit along the oceanic ridge. Combined with the predominance of colloform and/or dendritic-textured pyrite and relatively Fe-poor sphalerite in chimneys, the fluid-temperature dependency of trace element systematics (Co, Mn, and Tl) between chimney and mound indicates that the formation of mound was controlled by relatively reducing and high-temperature fluids compared to chimney. The δ³⁴S values (+8.31 to +10.52‰) of pyrite reflect that sulfur and metals were mainly leached from the associated basement rocks (50.6-61.3%) with a contribution from reduced seawater sulfur (38.7-49.4%). This suggests that the fluid-rock interaction, with little effect of magmatic volatile influx, is an important metal source for the sulfide mineralization in the DVF.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.151-160
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• 2021

2:1 clay minerals such as smectite incorporating ammonium were extracted to investigate the ammonium behavior and nitrogen isotope characteristics for two different sediment cores which were collected from shimmering sites on seafloor of the Wakamiko crater, southwestern Japan. Inorganic nitrogen contents in clay fraction were estimated by calibration curve based on consistently decreasing carbon and nitrogen ratio during the treatment to decompose organic materials, after removing inorganic carbon. The results show that the proportions of inorganic nitrogen for total nitrogen in clay fraction of SWS site(Core#1094MR: av. 18.2%) are higher than those in SES site(Core#1093MG: av. 11.5%). Relatively good crystallinity of the former suggests that exchangeable ammonium was transformed to non-exchangeable ammonium during more evolving diagenetic process. Nitrogen isotope variance of clay fraction(SES site: Core#1093MG: -4.4 ~ +0.2 ‰, av. -2.4 ‰; SWS site: Core#1094MR: -0.7 ~ +3.0 ‰, av. +1.5 ‰) during sequential decomposition of exchangeable ammonium suggests that heat flow derived from deep magma led to nitrogen isotope fractionation between dissolved ammonium and ammonia in the fluids involved in the formation of 2:1 clay mineral incorporating ammonium with local temperature variation.