Chemostratigraphic Correlations of Deep-Sea Sediments in the Western North Pacific Ocean: A New Constraint on the Distribution of Mud Highly Enriched in Rare-Earth Elements

Deep-sea sediments with total rare-earth elements and yttrium (Sigma REY) concentrations exceeding 400 ppm, which are termed REY-rich mud, are widely distributed in the world oceans. Specifically, deep-sea sediments within the Japanese exclusive economic zone (EEZ) surrounding Minamitorishima Island in the western North Pacific have attracted significant attention as a new REY resource, because they contain REY-enriched layers exceeding 2000 ppm of Sigma REY. However, neither the sediments deeper than 15 m below the seafloor (mbsf) nor those outside the Minamitorishima EEZ have ever been studied. Recently, a number of distinct geochemical features which are aligned in stratigraphic order were recognized in these sediments, based on multi-elemental composition data. Chemostratigraphy enables us to laterally correlate three REY peaks among apparently featureless pelagic clays. Here, we apply chemostratigraphic correlation to 19 new cores collected from the northern Pigafetta Basin and several small basins within the Marcus-Wake Seamounts. This study revealed that the REY-enriched layers occur at greater depths than the piston core length in a wider area than previously investigated (e.g., similar to 20.5 mbsf at Ocean Drilling Program Site 801A). This finding suggests that the depositional environments in these areas were basically similar, although local geographic conditions could have affected the continuity of REY peaks.