JpGU-AGU Joint Meeting 2017

Presentation information

[EJ] Oral

B (Biogeosciences) » B-PT Paleontology

[B-PT05] [EJ] Decoding the history of Earth: From Hadean to Modern

Wed. May 24, 2017 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM 201B (International Conference Hall 2F)

convener:Tsuyoshi Komiya(Department of Earth Science & Astronomy Graduate School of Arts and Sciences The University of Tokyo), Yasuhiro Kato(Department of Systems Innovation, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo), Katsuhiko Suzuki(Research and Development Center for Submarine Resources, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology), Chairperson:Tsuyoshi Komiya(Department of Earth Science & Astronomy Graduate School of Arts and Sciences The University of Tokyo)

11:00 AM - 11:15 AM

[BPT05-20] Lateral distribution of extremely REY-rich mud layer in the southern part of the Minamitorishima EEZ

*Koichiro Fujinaga1,2, Kazutaka Yasukawa2,1, Tatsuo Nozaki3,2,4, Shiki Machida3,2, Koichi Iijima3,2, Hitomi Tateno2, Takehiro Kawasaki2, Ayu Takahashi3, Hiroshi Amakawa3, Junji Torimoto3, Yusuke Fukami3, Katsuhiko Suzuki3, Kentaro Nakamura2, Yasuhiro Kato2,1,3, MR15-02 cruise members (1.Ocean Resources Research Center for Next Generation, Chiba Institute of Technology, 2.School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 3.JAMSTEC, 4.Graduate School of Science, Kobe University)

Keywords:rare earth elements and yttrium (REY), REY-rich mud, Minamitorishima Island, deep-sea mineral resource

Recently, we discovered deep-sea sediment containing ~7,000 ppm of total rare-earth elements and yttrium (REY), which was termed ‘extremely REY-rich mud’ (Iijima et al., 2016), within the Japanese exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around Minamitorishima island. To clarify the mineralogical/chemical characteristics and distribution of REY-rich mud in the Minamitorishima EEZ, we conducted eight research cruises over the four years. In the MR15-02 cruise by R/V Mirai from June 22 to July 17, 2015, we focused on investigating the lateral continuity of the extremely REY-rich mud layer in the southern part of the Minamitorishima EEZ. During the cruise, we collected 16 sediment cores by piston coring from the southwestern to southeastern areas of the Minamitorishima EEZ. Here we report visual core descriptions and bulk chemical compositions of the deep-sea sediment core samples, and discuss the extent of a highly promising area for future development of REY-rich mud in the Minamitorishima EEZ.