Patterns of (trace) metals and microorganisms in the Rainbow hydrothermal vent plume at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

• Published in: Biogeosciences 2020-05, Vol.17 (9), p.2499-2519
• Main Authors: Haalboom, Sabine, Price, David M, Mienis, Furu, van Bleijswijk, Judith D. L, de Stigter, Henko C, Witte, Harry J, Reichart, Gert-Jan, Duineveld, Gerard C. A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air pollution; Baseline studies; Biodiversity; Bottom water; Buoyancy; Chemical analysis; Copper; Copper (Metal); Deep sea; Deep sea mining; Deep water; Distance; Dredging; Energy resources; Enrichment; Excavation; Fluids; Geochemistry; Habitat loss; Heavy metals; Hydrothermal fields; Hydrothermal fluids; Hydrothermal plumes; Hydrothermal vent ecosystems; Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; Iron; Manganese; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Metals; Metals (Materials); Microbial activity; Microbiology; Microorganisms; Mid-ocean ridges; Mine wastes; Ocean floor; Oceans; Particulate matter; Plumes; Plumes (Fluid dynamics); Rainbows; Rare earth elements; Rare earth metals; Ratios; Ridges; RNA; rRNA 16S; Seawater; Sediments; Sediments (Geology); SMS (Short messaging service); Solid phases; Spectroscopy; Sulfides; Sulfur compounds; Suspended matter; Suspended particulate matter; Time; Trace metals; Water analysis; Water circulation; Water column; Water depth; Water sampling; Zinc
• ISSN: 1726-4189; 1726-4170; 1726-4189
• DOI: 10.5194/bg-17-2499-2020

Hydrothermal vent fields found at mid-ocean ridges emit hydrothermal fluids that disperse as neutrally buoyant plumes. From these fluids seafloor massive sulfides (SMS) deposits are formed, which are being explored as possible new mining sites for (trace) metals and rare earth elements (REEs). It has been suggested that during mining activities large amounts of suspended matter will appear in the water column due to excavation processes and discharge of mining waste from the surface vessel. Understanding how hydrothermal plumes can be characterised by means of geochemistry and microbiology as they spread away from their source and how they affect their surrounding environment may help in characterising the behaviour of the dilute distal part of chemically enriched mining plumes.