Abstract
BRONGERSMA-SAUNDERS has recently proposed1,2 that the extreme metal enrichment of many bituminous shales is brought about by the supply of metals by plankton in areas of oceanic upwelling. This model has been applied1,2 to the well known Permian Kupferschiefer of northern Germany, where the concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn are exceptionally high3. A modern environment of organic-rich sedimentation with metal enrichment is supposedly found on the continental shelf off South West Africa2, especially the region in and around Walvis Bay. The area lies beneath the Benguela Current, a site of intensive upwelling4 and very high primary organic production5. Information on the bottom sediments accumulating here is meagre, although they are known to be organic and sulphide-rich6–8.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Brongersma-Saunders, M., Geol. Rdsch., 55, 365 (1965).
Brongersma-Saunders, M., in Sedimentary Ores (edit. by James, C. H.), 61 (Univ. of Leicester, 1969).
Wedepohl, K. H., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 28, 305 (1964).
Hart, T. J., and Currie, R. I., Discovery Rep., 31, 123 (1960).
Steeman Nielsen, E., and Jensen, E. A., Galathea Rep., 1, 49 (1957).
Marchant, J. M., Spec. Rep. Fish. Mar. Biol. Surv., Dep. Min. Ind. S.A., 5, 1 (1928).
Copenhagen, W. J., Invest. Rep. Fish. Mar. Biol. Surv. Div. Un. S.A., 3, 1 (1934).
Copenhagen, W. J., Invest. Rep. Div. Fish Un. S.A., 14, 1 (1953).
Moum, J., Sedimentology, 5, 343 (1965).
Kolpack, R. L., and Bell, S. A., J. Sedim. Petrol., 38, 617 (1968).
Chester, R., and Elderfield, H., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 32, 1128 (1968).
Anderman, G., and Kemp, J. W., Anal. Chem., 30, 1306 (1958).
Gross, M. G., in Estuaries (edit. by Lauff, G. H.), 273 (Amer. Assoc. Adv. Sci., 1967).
Wedepohl, K. H., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 18, 200 (1960).
Calvert, S. E., Bull. Geol. Soc. Amer., 77, 569 (1966).
Nicholls, G. D., Curl, H., and Bowen, V. T., Limnol. Oceanogr., 4, 472 (1959).
Vinogradova, Z. A., and Koval'skiy, V. V., Dokl. Acad. Nauk SSSR, 147, 1458 (1962).
Goldberg, E. D., Mem. Geol. Soc. Amer., No. 67, 1, 345 (1957).
Hart, J. T., Discovery Rep., 8, 3 (1934).
Kolbe, R. W., Rep. Swed. Deep-Sea Exped., 6 (1), 1 (1954).
Kanaya, T., and Koizumi, I., Scient. Rep. Tohoku Univ. (Geol.), 37, 89 (1966).
Jouse, A. P., Trudy Inst. Okeanol. Akad. Nauk SSSR, 22, 164 (1957).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
CALVERT, S., PRICE, N. Minor Metal Contents of Recent Organic-rich Sediments off South West Africa. Nature 227, 593–595 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1038/227593a0
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/227593a0
This article is cited by
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
