• DOI:10.1038/277523a0
• Corpus ID: 4356666

Massive deep-sea sulphide ore deposits discovered on the East Pacific Rise

@article{Francheteau1979MassiveDS,
  title={Massive deep-sea sulphide ore deposits discovered on the East Pacific Rise},
  author={Jean Francheteau and H. D. Needham and Pierre Choukroune and Thierry Juteau and Marie J.M. S{\'e}guret and Robert D. Ballard and Paul J. Fox and William R. Normark and A. Carranza and Diego C{\'o}rdoba and Jose C. Guerrero and Claude Rangin and Henri Bougault and Pierre Cambon and Roger H{\'e}kinian},
  journal={Nature},
  year={1979},
  volume={277},
  pages={523-528}
}

• J. Francheteau, H. Needham, +12 authors R. Hékinian
• Published 1 February 1979
• Geology
• Nature

Massive ore-grade zinc, copper and iron sulphide deposits have been found at the axis of the East Pacific Rise. Although their presence on the deep ocean-floor had been predicted there was no supporting observational evidence. The East Pacific Rise deposits represent a modern analogue of Cyprus-type sulphide ores associated with ophiolitic rocks on land. They contain at least 29% zinc metal and 6% metallic copper. Their discovery will provide a new focus for deep-sea exploration, leading to new assessments of the concentration of metals in the upper layers of the oceanic crust.