Pelagic sediments in the north and south central Pacific were analysed for Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb. The relation between contents of these metal elements and sedimentary facies, and controlling factors of the regional variation of them were discussed. Sediment samples used in this study were collected along two c. a. 4500km-long transects which runs from the east of the Wake Ialand down to the west of Tahiti. The number of the samples were 115, consisting of 21 bottom-surface samples and 91 segments of several sediment cores.
Vertical distribution pattern of the elements are classified into three types; 1) gradual decreasing of the contents as the depth in the core increases, 2) irregular changing with plural maximums of the contents, and 3) gradual increasing of the contens as the depth in the core increases. The pattern is, however, not necessarily common to all the elements even in a same core. Contents of the elements become lower as the sediment sample contrains much siliceous organic remains. The elements, except Fe and Cu, are more abundant in the zeolitic sediments than in the pelagic clay.
Horizontal distribution of the elements in the bottom surface sediments indicates that all the elements other than Cu attain their maximum contents in the southernmost part of the study area, i. e. the Penrhyn Basin, and that Cu content attains its maximum in the northern part of the Central Pacific Basin. It is no exaggeration to say that the Penrhyn Basin sediments are residual matters of oceanic basalt, as far as available Al/Ti ratio suggests. Relatively low Fe/Mn ratio in the Penrhyn Basin sediments can be explained, in accordance with the Al/Ti ratio, by expectable Fe depletion during zeolite formation from the basalt. Origin and behavior of Ti in the sediments should, however, be studied, as it is possible that mobile Ti having other origin than the basalt is rich in the sediments. On the other hand the highest Cu content mentioned above, higher than 400ppm, should simply be caused by higher biogenic productivity, especially of radiolarians. Extremely high Cu/Ni rations, higher than 2.5, in the same area support this view.
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