James Hein
zation
Geologist Emeritus with the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Science and Products
Global Seabed Mineral Resources
The Global Marine Mineral Resources project studies deep ocean minerals that occur within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone and areas beyond national jurisdictions. Our research concerns the setting, genesis, and metal enrichment processes of mineral occurrences, the relationship between marine minerals and deep-sea biota, and the potential geochemical footprint of any seafloor mining. We aim to...
Geochemistry and x-ray diffraction data for hydrothermal manganese oxide rocks from the Samoa hotspot region in the South Pacific Ocean collected during research expedition KM0506 Geochemistry and x-ray diffraction data for hydrothermal manganese oxide rocks from the Samoa hotspot region in the South Pacific Ocean collected during research expedition KM0506
Hydrothermal manganese oxide rocks were collected via dredge from the Tulaga Seamount, the flank of Ofu Island, and from Soso seamount in the Samoa hotspot region offshore American Samoa during the KM0506 cruise aboard the R/V Kilo Moana in April of 2005. Rocks were subsampled at USGS and analyzed for mineralogy by x-ray diffraction as well as sent to SGS laboratories, Canada for major...
Global ferromanganese crust and abyssal ferromanganese nodule prospective occurrence regions Global ferromanganese crust and abyssal ferromanganese nodule prospective occurrence regions
This data release is a polygon shapefile representing prospective occurrence regions of ferromanganese crusts and abyssal ferromanganese nodules on the seafloor throughout the global oceans. Polygons represent areas where oceanographic criteria, such as low sedimentation rate and moderate primary productivity, overlap with geologic criteria, including regions with appropriate seafloor...
Geochemistry of ferromanganese crusts, nodules, and hydrothermally altered rocks from the Arctic Ocean Geochemistry of ferromanganese crusts, nodules, and hydrothermally altered rocks from the Arctic Ocean
Ferromanganese crusts, nodules, and hydrothermally altered rocks were collected via dredge within the Amerasia Basin in the Arctic Ocean during USCGC icebreaker Healy cruises HLY0805, HLY0905, and HLY1202 in 2008, 2009, and 2012 respectively. Dredged samples were donated and sent to USGS for subsampling and major and trace element geochemical analyses. Major and trace element data as...
Measurements of zinc, oxygen, and pH, from sphalerite and ZnS oxidation in seawater Measurements of zinc, oxygen, and pH, from sphalerite and ZnS oxidation in seawater
This data release presents the concentration of zinc, oxygen, pH, temperature, and the time point at which measurements were taken for experimental oxidation work regarding zinc and copper sulfide minerals. These data accompany the following publication: Gartman, A., Whisman, S.P., and Hein, J.R., 2020, Interactive oxidation of sphalerite and covellite in seawater: implications for...
Sorbed-water (H2O-) corrected chemistry for ferromanganese crust samples from the western equatorial Pacific Ocean Sorbed-water (H2O-) corrected chemistry for ferromanganese crust samples from the western equatorial Pacific Ocean
Ferromanganese crust samples were collected via dredge during four oceanographic research cruises to the western equatorial Pacific Ocean. The location (latitude, longitude, depth) and concentrations of 27 major and trace elements in the most recent growth layers of ferromanganese crusts from 57 dredge sites are presented here, as well as select seawater chemistry at each location. These...
Filter Total Items: 168
Methanogenic calcite, 13C-depleted bivalve shells, and gas hydrate from a mud volcano offshore southern California Methanogenic calcite, 13C-depleted bivalve shells, and gas hydrate from a mud volcano offshore southern California
Methane and hydrogen sulfide vent from a cold seep above a shallowly buried methane hydrate in a mud volcano located 24 km offshore southern California in?? 800 m of water. Bivalves, authigenic calcite, and methane hydrate were recovered in a 2.1 m piston core. Aragonite shells of two bivalve species are unusually depleted in 13C (to -91??? ??13C), the most 13C-depleted shells of marine...
Authors
J.R. Hein, W. R. Normark, B.R. McIntyre, T.D. Lorenson, C.L. Powell
Long-term eruptive activity at a submarine arc volcano Long-term eruptive activity at a submarine arc volcano
Three-quarters of the Earth's volcanic activity is submarine, located mostly along the mid-ocean ridges, with the remainder along intraoceanic arcs and hotspots at depths varying from greater than 4,000 m to near the sea surface. Most observations and sampling of submarine eruptions have been indirect, made from surface vessels or made after the fact. We describe here direct observations...
Authors
R.W. Embley, W.W. Chadwick, E.T. Baker, D.A. Butterfield, J.A. Resing, Cornel E. J. de Ronde, V. Tunnicliffe, J.E. Lupton, S.K. Juniper, K.H. Rubin, R. J. Stern, G.T. Lebon, K.-I. Nakamura, S.G. Merle, J.R. Hein, D.A. Wiens, Y. Tamura
Determination of the platinum - Group elements (PGE) and gold (Au) in manganese nodule reference samples by nickel sulfide fire-assay and Te coprecipitation with ICP-MS Determination of the platinum - Group elements (PGE) and gold (Au) in manganese nodule reference samples by nickel sulfide fire-assay and Te coprecipitation with ICP-MS
Platinum group elements (PGE) and Au data in polymetallic oceanic ferromanganese nodule reference samples and crust samples obtained by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), after separation and pre-concentration by nickel sulfide fire-assay and Te coprecipitation, are presented. By optimizing several critical parameters such as flux composition, matrix matching...
Authors
V. Balaram, R. Mathur, V.K. Banakar, J.R. Hein, C.R.M. Rao, Rao T. Gnaneswara, B. Dasaram
Helium isotopes in ferromanganese crusts from the central Pacific Ocean Helium isotopes in ferromanganese crusts from the central Pacific Ocean
Helium isotopes have been measured in samples of two ferromanganese crusts (VA13/2 and CD29-2) from the central Pacific Ocean. With the exception of the deepest part of crust CD29-2 the data can be explained by a mixture of implanted solar- and galactic cosmic ray-produced (GCR) He, in extraterrestrial grains, and radiogenic He in wind-borne continental dust grains. 4He concentrations...
Authors
S. Basu, F.M. Stuart, V. Klemm, G. Korschinek, K. Knie, J.R. Hein
Osmium isotope stratigraphy of a marine ferromanganese crust Osmium isotope stratigraphy of a marine ferromanganese crust
Ferromanganese crusts provide records of long term change in ocean circulation and continental weathering. However, calibrating their age prior to 10 Ma has been entirely based on empirical growth rate models using Co concentrations, which have inherently large uncertainties and fail to detect hiatuses and erosional events. We present a new method for dating these crusts by measuring...
Authors
V. Klemm, S. Levasseur, M. Frank, J.R. Hein, A. N. Halliday
Marine mineral resources of Pacific Islands— A review of the Exclusive Economic Zones of islands of U.S. affiliation, excluding the State of Hawaii Marine mineral resources of Pacific Islands— A review of the Exclusive Economic Zones of islands of U.S. affiliation, excluding the State of Hawaii
The United States Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) was established in 1983 and comprises all marine areas within 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) of the nearest U.S. land. This vast area of 3.38 million square nautical miles (11.6 million square kilometers) is about 20 percent greater than the entire land area of the United States. The resource potential of the vast mineral deposits that...
Authors
James R. Hein, Brandie R. McIntyre, David Z. Piper
A porous silica rock ("tripoli") in the footwall of the Jurassic Úrkút manganese deposit, Hungary: composition, and origin through carbonate dissolution A porous silica rock ("tripoli") in the footwall of the Jurassic Úrkút manganese deposit, Hungary: composition, and origin through carbonate dissolution
The mineralogical, chemical, and isotopic compositions were determined for a white tripoli from the footwall of the Jurassic Úrkút Mn-oxide ore deposit in the Bakony Mountains, Hungary. The tripoli consists of quartz and chalcedony, with SiO2 contents up to 100 wt.%; consequently, trace-element contents are very low. Oxygen isotopes and quartz crystallinity indicate a low-temperature...
Authors
Marta Polgari, Zoltan Szabo, Magda Szabo-Drubina, James R. Hein, Hsueh-Wen Yeh
Lagoonal reef accretion and holocene sea-level history from three atolls in the Cook Islands, Central South Pacific Lagoonal reef accretion and holocene sea-level history from three atolls in the Cook Islands, Central South Pacific
Radiocarbon ages of corals from cores collected at nine drill sites in the lagoons of three atolls (Pukapuka, Rakahanga, Aitutaki, Cook Islands) provide a history of lagoon sedimentation in response to Holocene sea-level rise and stabilization. Holocene lagoonal reefs were established between 8700 and 7800 years B.P. on 130,000-200,000 year-old reef platforms that are presently 7 to 22 m...
Authors
S.C. Gray, J.R. Hein
Mercury- and silver-rich ferromanganese oxides, southern California Borderland: Deposit model and environmental implications Mercury- and silver-rich ferromanganese oxides, southern California Borderland: Deposit model and environmental implications
Mercury- and silver-enriched ferromanganese oxide crusts were recovered at water depths of 1,750 tol,300 m from La Victoria knoll, located about 72 km off the coast of northern Baja California. No other ferromanganese precipitate found so far in the modern ocean basins is similarly enriched in Hg and Ag. The precipitates consist of submetallic gray, brecciated, Mn oxide layers overlain...
Authors
J.R. Hein, A. Koschinsky, B.R. McIntyre
Sub-seafloor acoustic characterization of seamounts near the Ogasawara Fracture Zone in the western Pacific using chirp (3-7 kHz) subbottom profiles Sub-seafloor acoustic characterization of seamounts near the Ogasawara Fracture Zone in the western Pacific using chirp (3-7 kHz) subbottom profiles
A detailed analysis of chirp (3-7 kHz) subbottom profiles and bathymetry was performed on data collected from seamounts near the Ogasawara Fracture Zone (OFZ) in the western Pacific. The OFZ, which is a 150 km wide rift zone showing 600 km of right-lateral movement in a NW-SE direction, is unique among the fracture zones of the Pacific in that it includes many old seamounts (e.g...
Authors
T.-G. Lee, J.R. Hein, Kenneth Lee, J.-W. Moon, Y.-T. Ko
Stratiform barite deposits in the Roberts Mountains allochthon, Nevada: A review of potential analogs in modern sea-floor environments Stratiform barite deposits in the Roberts Mountains allochthon, Nevada: A review of potential analogs in modern sea-floor environments
The United States is a net importer of barite, a critical mineral for the oil and gas industry; more than 80 percent of current domestic consumption of barite is imported from China. Nearly all of the domestic production of barite comes from stratiform deposits in Nevada. The 'modern analogs' approach adopted in this review can contribute to improving deposit models and the long-term...
Authors
Randolph A. Koski, James R. Hein
Chapter 14 Rex Chert member of the Permian Phosphoria Formation: Composition, with emphasis on elements of environmental concern Chapter 14 Rex Chert member of the Permian Phosphoria Formation: Composition, with emphasis on elements of environmental concern
We present bulk chemical and mineralogical compositions, as well as petrographic and outcrop descriptions, of rocks collected from three measured outcrop sections of the Rex Chert Member of the Phosphoria Formation in southeast Idaho. The three measured sections were chosen from 10 outcrops of Rex Chert that were described in the field. The Rex Chert overlies the Meade Peak Phosphatic...
Authors
James R. Hein, B.R. McIntyre, R.B. Perkins, David Z. Piper, J. G. Evans
Science and Products
Global Seabed Mineral Resources
The Global Marine Mineral Resources project studies deep ocean minerals that occur within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone and areas beyond national jurisdictions. Our research concerns the setting, genesis, and metal enrichment processes of mineral occurrences, the relationship between marine minerals and deep-sea biota, and the potential geochemical footprint of any seafloor mining. We aim to...
Geochemistry and x-ray diffraction data for hydrothermal manganese oxide rocks from the Samoa hotspot region in the South Pacific Ocean collected during research expedition KM0506 Geochemistry and x-ray diffraction data for hydrothermal manganese oxide rocks from the Samoa hotspot region in the South Pacific Ocean collected during research expedition KM0506
Hydrothermal manganese oxide rocks were collected via dredge from the Tulaga Seamount, the flank of Ofu Island, and from Soso seamount in the Samoa hotspot region offshore American Samoa during the KM0506 cruise aboard the R/V Kilo Moana in April of 2005. Rocks were subsampled at USGS and analyzed for mineralogy by x-ray diffraction as well as sent to SGS laboratories, Canada for major...
Global ferromanganese crust and abyssal ferromanganese nodule prospective occurrence regions Global ferromanganese crust and abyssal ferromanganese nodule prospective occurrence regions
This data release is a polygon shapefile representing prospective occurrence regions of ferromanganese crusts and abyssal ferromanganese nodules on the seafloor throughout the global oceans. Polygons represent areas where oceanographic criteria, such as low sedimentation rate and moderate primary productivity, overlap with geologic criteria, including regions with appropriate seafloor...
Geochemistry of ferromanganese crusts, nodules, and hydrothermally altered rocks from the Arctic Ocean Geochemistry of ferromanganese crusts, nodules, and hydrothermally altered rocks from the Arctic Ocean
Ferromanganese crusts, nodules, and hydrothermally altered rocks were collected via dredge within the Amerasia Basin in the Arctic Ocean during USCGC icebreaker Healy cruises HLY0805, HLY0905, and HLY1202 in 2008, 2009, and 2012 respectively. Dredged samples were donated and sent to USGS for subsampling and major and trace element geochemical analyses. Major and trace element data as...
Measurements of zinc, oxygen, and pH, from sphalerite and ZnS oxidation in seawater Measurements of zinc, oxygen, and pH, from sphalerite and ZnS oxidation in seawater
This data release presents the concentration of zinc, oxygen, pH, temperature, and the time point at which measurements were taken for experimental oxidation work regarding zinc and copper sulfide minerals. These data accompany the following publication: Gartman, A., Whisman, S.P., and Hein, J.R., 2020, Interactive oxidation of sphalerite and covellite in seawater: implications for...
Sorbed-water (H2O-) corrected chemistry for ferromanganese crust samples from the western equatorial Pacific Ocean Sorbed-water (H2O-) corrected chemistry for ferromanganese crust samples from the western equatorial Pacific Ocean
Ferromanganese crust samples were collected via dredge during four oceanographic research cruises to the western equatorial Pacific Ocean. The location (latitude, longitude, depth) and concentrations of 27 major and trace elements in the most recent growth layers of ferromanganese crusts from 57 dredge sites are presented here, as well as select seawater chemistry at each location. These...
Filter Total Items: 168
Methanogenic calcite, 13C-depleted bivalve shells, and gas hydrate from a mud volcano offshore southern California Methanogenic calcite, 13C-depleted bivalve shells, and gas hydrate from a mud volcano offshore southern California
Methane and hydrogen sulfide vent from a cold seep above a shallowly buried methane hydrate in a mud volcano located 24 km offshore southern California in?? 800 m of water. Bivalves, authigenic calcite, and methane hydrate were recovered in a 2.1 m piston core. Aragonite shells of two bivalve species are unusually depleted in 13C (to -91??? ??13C), the most 13C-depleted shells of marine...
Authors
J.R. Hein, W. R. Normark, B.R. McIntyre, T.D. Lorenson, C.L. Powell
Long-term eruptive activity at a submarine arc volcano Long-term eruptive activity at a submarine arc volcano
Three-quarters of the Earth's volcanic activity is submarine, located mostly along the mid-ocean ridges, with the remainder along intraoceanic arcs and hotspots at depths varying from greater than 4,000 m to near the sea surface. Most observations and sampling of submarine eruptions have been indirect, made from surface vessels or made after the fact. We describe here direct observations...
Authors
R.W. Embley, W.W. Chadwick, E.T. Baker, D.A. Butterfield, J.A. Resing, Cornel E. J. de Ronde, V. Tunnicliffe, J.E. Lupton, S.K. Juniper, K.H. Rubin, R. J. Stern, G.T. Lebon, K.-I. Nakamura, S.G. Merle, J.R. Hein, D.A. Wiens, Y. Tamura
Determination of the platinum - Group elements (PGE) and gold (Au) in manganese nodule reference samples by nickel sulfide fire-assay and Te coprecipitation with ICP-MS Determination of the platinum - Group elements (PGE) and gold (Au) in manganese nodule reference samples by nickel sulfide fire-assay and Te coprecipitation with ICP-MS
Platinum group elements (PGE) and Au data in polymetallic oceanic ferromanganese nodule reference samples and crust samples obtained by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), after separation and pre-concentration by nickel sulfide fire-assay and Te coprecipitation, are presented. By optimizing several critical parameters such as flux composition, matrix matching...
Authors
V. Balaram, R. Mathur, V.K. Banakar, J.R. Hein, C.R.M. Rao, Rao T. Gnaneswara, B. Dasaram
Helium isotopes in ferromanganese crusts from the central Pacific Ocean Helium isotopes in ferromanganese crusts from the central Pacific Ocean
Helium isotopes have been measured in samples of two ferromanganese crusts (VA13/2 and CD29-2) from the central Pacific Ocean. With the exception of the deepest part of crust CD29-2 the data can be explained by a mixture of implanted solar- and galactic cosmic ray-produced (GCR) He, in extraterrestrial grains, and radiogenic He in wind-borne continental dust grains. 4He concentrations...
Authors
S. Basu, F.M. Stuart, V. Klemm, G. Korschinek, K. Knie, J.R. Hein
Osmium isotope stratigraphy of a marine ferromanganese crust Osmium isotope stratigraphy of a marine ferromanganese crust
Ferromanganese crusts provide records of long term change in ocean circulation and continental weathering. However, calibrating their age prior to 10 Ma has been entirely based on empirical growth rate models using Co concentrations, which have inherently large uncertainties and fail to detect hiatuses and erosional events. We present a new method for dating these crusts by measuring...
Authors
V. Klemm, S. Levasseur, M. Frank, J.R. Hein, A. N. Halliday
Marine mineral resources of Pacific Islands— A review of the Exclusive Economic Zones of islands of U.S. affiliation, excluding the State of Hawaii Marine mineral resources of Pacific Islands— A review of the Exclusive Economic Zones of islands of U.S. affiliation, excluding the State of Hawaii
The United States Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) was established in 1983 and comprises all marine areas within 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) of the nearest U.S. land. This vast area of 3.38 million square nautical miles (11.6 million square kilometers) is about 20 percent greater than the entire land area of the United States. The resource potential of the vast mineral deposits that...
Authors
James R. Hein, Brandie R. McIntyre, David Z. Piper
A porous silica rock ("tripoli") in the footwall of the Jurassic Úrkút manganese deposit, Hungary: composition, and origin through carbonate dissolution A porous silica rock ("tripoli") in the footwall of the Jurassic Úrkút manganese deposit, Hungary: composition, and origin through carbonate dissolution
The mineralogical, chemical, and isotopic compositions were determined for a white tripoli from the footwall of the Jurassic Úrkút Mn-oxide ore deposit in the Bakony Mountains, Hungary. The tripoli consists of quartz and chalcedony, with SiO2 contents up to 100 wt.%; consequently, trace-element contents are very low. Oxygen isotopes and quartz crystallinity indicate a low-temperature...
Authors
Marta Polgari, Zoltan Szabo, Magda Szabo-Drubina, James R. Hein, Hsueh-Wen Yeh
Lagoonal reef accretion and holocene sea-level history from three atolls in the Cook Islands, Central South Pacific Lagoonal reef accretion and holocene sea-level history from three atolls in the Cook Islands, Central South Pacific
Radiocarbon ages of corals from cores collected at nine drill sites in the lagoons of three atolls (Pukapuka, Rakahanga, Aitutaki, Cook Islands) provide a history of lagoon sedimentation in response to Holocene sea-level rise and stabilization. Holocene lagoonal reefs were established between 8700 and 7800 years B.P. on 130,000-200,000 year-old reef platforms that are presently 7 to 22 m...
Authors
S.C. Gray, J.R. Hein
Mercury- and silver-rich ferromanganese oxides, southern California Borderland: Deposit model and environmental implications Mercury- and silver-rich ferromanganese oxides, southern California Borderland: Deposit model and environmental implications
Mercury- and silver-enriched ferromanganese oxide crusts were recovered at water depths of 1,750 tol,300 m from La Victoria knoll, located about 72 km off the coast of northern Baja California. No other ferromanganese precipitate found so far in the modern ocean basins is similarly enriched in Hg and Ag. The precipitates consist of submetallic gray, brecciated, Mn oxide layers overlain...
Authors
J.R. Hein, A. Koschinsky, B.R. McIntyre
Sub-seafloor acoustic characterization of seamounts near the Ogasawara Fracture Zone in the western Pacific using chirp (3-7 kHz) subbottom profiles Sub-seafloor acoustic characterization of seamounts near the Ogasawara Fracture Zone in the western Pacific using chirp (3-7 kHz) subbottom profiles
A detailed analysis of chirp (3-7 kHz) subbottom profiles and bathymetry was performed on data collected from seamounts near the Ogasawara Fracture Zone (OFZ) in the western Pacific. The OFZ, which is a 150 km wide rift zone showing 600 km of right-lateral movement in a NW-SE direction, is unique among the fracture zones of the Pacific in that it includes many old seamounts (e.g...
Authors
T.-G. Lee, J.R. Hein, Kenneth Lee, J.-W. Moon, Y.-T. Ko
Stratiform barite deposits in the Roberts Mountains allochthon, Nevada: A review of potential analogs in modern sea-floor environments Stratiform barite deposits in the Roberts Mountains allochthon, Nevada: A review of potential analogs in modern sea-floor environments
The United States is a net importer of barite, a critical mineral for the oil and gas industry; more than 80 percent of current domestic consumption of barite is imported from China. Nearly all of the domestic production of barite comes from stratiform deposits in Nevada. The 'modern analogs' approach adopted in this review can contribute to improving deposit models and the long-term...
Authors
Randolph A. Koski, James R. Hein
Chapter 14 Rex Chert member of the Permian Phosphoria Formation: Composition, with emphasis on elements of environmental concern Chapter 14 Rex Chert member of the Permian Phosphoria Formation: Composition, with emphasis on elements of environmental concern
We present bulk chemical and mineralogical compositions, as well as petrographic and outcrop descriptions, of rocks collected from three measured outcrop sections of the Rex Chert Member of the Phosphoria Formation in southeast Idaho. The three measured sections were chosen from 10 outcrops of Rex Chert that were described in the field. The Rex Chert overlies the Meade Peak Phosphatic...
Authors
James R. Hein, B.R. McIntyre, R.B. Perkins, David Z. Piper, J. G. Evans