Marine Mineral Resources (MMR)

Marine Mineral Resources are metal deposits in the oceans that may become of economic relevance in the near future. The goal of research in the MMR group at GEOMAR is to understand the formation of these potential deposits and to advance the exploration of the seafloor in order to estimate the potential of these deposits and predict their occurrence. Research focuses on polymetallic massive sulfides, as well as porphyritic and epithermal copper-gold deposits. In our research, we follow a "source to sink" approach to understand all aspects that contribute to the formation of mineral resources on the seafloor.

Metals in seafloor deposits are not only valuable resources for high-tech and "green energy" products, but some are unfortunately harmful to many marine organisms at certain concentrations. Therefore, as part of the research focus on "Metals in the Ocean", the MMR group is addressing all aspects of trace metals related to mineral deposits in the marine environment, including their concentration, physical and chemical speciation, and bioavailability and toxicity.

Members

Research activities

  • KIMERA – Artificial intelligence applied to mapping of the seafloor and marine spatial planning (01.09.2023-31.08.2026). PIs: P. Brandl/S.Petersen
  • HEXPLORES 2023 (4.10.-1.11.2023) - Hydrothermal EXPLOration of the REd Sea,” The Effect of Spreading Rate on the Frequency Distribution of Hydrothermal Vent Sites and Volcanic Activity in the Red Sea Rift”, Red Sea, RV Meteor, PIs: N. Augustin (GEOMAR)/F. van der Zwan (KAUST)/S. Petersen (GEOMAR)/ C. Devey (GEOMAR).
  • SO299 DYNAMET (6.6.-29.7.2023) - geoDYNAmics & METallogeny, “Arc rifting, metallogeny and microplate evolution: an integrated geodynamic, magmatic and hydrothermal study of the Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea”, offshore Papua-Neuguinea, RV Sonne (SO299), Chief Scientists: P. Brandl/M. Hannington.
  • DOMETRAP, subproject of the SPP2238 "DOME" (DFG): 2020-2023
  • AZORES Hot Vents (29.11.-31.12.2022), “Exploration of hydrothermal systems on the Azores Plateau, Central North Atlantic Ocean”, Central North Atlantic, RV Meteor, PIs: C. Schmidt (GEOMAR)/C. Hensen (GEOMAR)/N. Kaul (Bremen University)/P. Terrinha (Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere, IPMA).
  • **Active production of Fe ligands: How important are benthic microbes for regulating bioavailable iron in the ocean?
  • Marine Mineral Resources - funded through the Helmholtz Association.

** For further information for undergraduate and/or postgraduate involvment in this project, please contact the team assistant (mmr@geomar.de).

Recently completed projects

  • INDEX Geological mapping in the German license area for sulfides in the Indian Ocean (2017-2023) - funded through BGR, Hannover.
  • IslandImpact (16.11.-17.12.2022) - “Understanding the regional impact of islands (South Georgia) on Southern Ocean biogeochemistry and ecosystem function", South-Atlantic, RV Polarstern (PS133), Chief Scientist: C. Klaas (AWI)/S. Kasten (AWI)/A. Waite (Dalhousie University)/M. Meredith (British Antarctic Survey, BAS).
  • DeepBlue (23.6.-14.7.2022) - “Characterisation and monitoring of serpentine mude volcanoes’ fluid/solid emissions in the Mariana Forearc”, Pacific Ocean, RV Sonne (SO292), PIs: W. Menapace (MARUM)/ E. Albers (MARUM)/ A. Kopf (MARUM).
  • BISMArc (2017-2020), in collaboration with GeoZentrum Nordbayern (DFG).
  • OASIS (2015-2018) - Indian Ocean, funded through BMBF.
  • Blue Mining (2014-2018) - funded through EU FP7.

Events & Lectures

Talks & Events:

 

 

Lectures & Summer Schools:

  • iMAGE CREATE – GEOMAR Seafloor Mapping School (SEA-EU integrated course, 5 ECTS), 16th-27th September 2024 (virtual)
  • Marine Mineral Resources (MSc Marine Geosciences, CAU Kiel), Lecture, 2 SWS, next date: WS 2024/25
  • Geodynamics & Ore Deposits (MSc Marine Geosciences, CAU Kiel), Practical, 1 SWS, next date: WS 2024/25

 

 

Recent Publications

(Peer-reviewed, MMR (co-)author)

2025

  • Martin, A.J., Murton, B.J., MacLeod, C.J., Jamieson, J.W., Yeo, I.I., Petersen, S., McFall, K.A., Lusty, P., Allerton, S., Lichtschlag, A., Bishop, C., Figeroua, A., Lia, S.-Y. (2025) Deep-sea drilling of the 13°30′ N oceanic core complex: Assessing links between fluid flow, metal enrichment and seafloor massive sulfide deposit formation near Semenov-1. Lithos 494-495: 107921, doi:10.1016/j.lithos.2024.107921. (Open Access)

2024

    2024

    • Brandl, P.A., Hannington, M.D., Krätschell, A., Petersen, S., Baxter, A.T., Stewart, M.S., Galley, C., Emberley, J. & Sander, S.G.: A new geological map of the marginal basins of Eastern Papua New Guinea: Implications for crustal accretion and mineral endowment at arc-continent collisions. Lithosphere, 2024(4), lithosphere_2024_145, doi:10.2113/2024/lithosphere_2024_145. (Open Access)
    • Zitoun, R., Marcinek, S., Hatje, V., Sander, S.G., Völker, C., Sarin, M. & Omanović, D.: Climate change driven effects on transport, fate and biogeochemistry of trace element contaminants in coastal marine ecosystems. Communications Earth & Environment, 5:560. doi:10.1038/s43247-024-01679-y (Open Access)
    • Beniest, A., Dannowski, A., Schnabel, M., Kopp, H. & the SO267 Scientist Party (including: Augustin, A., Barckhausen, U., Brandl, P.A., Devey, C.W., Engels, M., Hannington, M.D., Heyde, I., Jegen, A., Klaucke, I., Petersen, F., Petersen, S., Riedel, M., Schmid, F., Schramm, B., Stewart, M.S., Weber, M., Werner, R.): Tectonic quiescence in actively extending back-arc regions. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 129, e2024JB029236, doi:10.1029/2024JB029236.
    • Brandl, P.A., Beier, C., Haase, K.M., Genske, F., Hauff, F., Regelous, M., Devey, C.W. & Rüpke, L.H.: The geodynamics of plume-influenced mid-ocean ridges: insights from the Foundation Segment of the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge. Frontiers in Earth Sciences, 12:1456429. doi:10.3389/feart.2024.1456429 (Open Access)
    • Dekov, V., Koschinsky, A., Yamanaka, T., Petersen, S., Paul, S.A.L., Kleint, C., Pelleter, E., de Lange, G.J., Kürzinger, G.J., Garbe-Schönberg, D., Ilieva, M., Fouquet, Y., and Rouxel, O.: Native sulfur at the seafloor: Composition and origin. Chemical Geology 668: 122295. doi: 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2024.122295.
    • Yeo, I.A., McIntosh, I.M., Bryan, S.E., Tani, K., Dunbabin, M., Dobson, K.J., Mitchell, S.J., Collins, P.C., Clare, M.A., Cathey, H., Duwai, I., Brandl, P.A., Stone, K., Manu, M.S. (2024): The 2019 pumice raft forming eruption of Volcano-F (Volcano 0403-091) and implications for Hazards posed by submerged calderas. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 108160. doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2024.108160
    • Cai, Y., Han, X., Petersen, S., Wang, Y., Qiu, Z., Yang, M. (2024): Mineralization of sulfide mound at Wocan-1 hydrothermal field based on geological mapping, mineralogy and sulfur isotope studies, Carlsberg Ridge, Northwest Indian Ocean. Ore Geology Reviews 171, 106180. doi: 10.1016/j.oregeorev.2024.106180
    • Holzheid, A., Zhao, H., Cabus, T., Fan, L., Kuhn, T., Sun, L., Tao, C., Haeckel, M., Hoang, D., Kelly, N., Kihara, T., Li, B., Li, J., Ma, J., Matz-Lück, N., Meyn, K., Molari, M., Petersen, S., Pollmann, K., Rudolph, M., Xu, X., Zhang, Y. (2024): Deep-sea mining of massive sulfides: balancing impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem, technological challenges and law of the sea. Marine Policy 167, 106289. doi: 10.1016/j.marpol.2024.106289
    • Gautreau, L.-M., Hansteen, T.H., Portnyagin, S., Beier, C., Frische, M. and Brandl, P.A. (2024): Understanding the links between volcanic systems and epithermal ore formation: A case study from Conical Seamount, Papua New Guinea. Lithos 482-483, 107695. doi:10.1016/j.lithos.2024.107695
    • Hurtig, N.C., Gysi, A.P., Monecke, T., Petersen, S., and Hannington, M.D. (2024) Tellurium transport and enrichment in volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits: Numerical simulations of vent fluids and comparison to modern sea-floor sulfides. Economic Geology. 119(4):829-851. doi:10.5382/econgeo.5067
    • Fassbender, M.L., Hannington, Baxter, A.T., Diekrup, D. M.D., Stewart, M. and Brandl, P.A., (2024): Geochemical signatures of mafic volcanic rocks in modern oceanic settings and implications for Archean mafic magmatism. Economic Geology 119(2): 445-470. doi:10.5382/econgeo.5044. (Open Access)
    • Martin, A.J., Jamieson, J.W., Petersen, S., Fayek, M., and Escartin, J. (2024) Fluid flow, mineralization and deformation in an oceanic detachment fault: Microtextural, geochemical and isotopic evidence from pyrite at 13°30’N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems 25(1): 011033. doi: 10.1029/2023GC011033. (Open Access)
    • Torres-Rodriguez, N., Yuan, J., Petersen, S., Dufour, A., Gonzalez-Santana, D., Chavagnac, V., Planquette, H., Horvat, M., Amouroux, D., Cathalot, C., Pelleter, E., Sun, R., Sonke, J.E., Luther III, G.W., and Heimbürger-Boavida, L.-E. (2024) Mercury fluxes from hydrothermal venting at mid-ocean ridges constrained by measurements. Nature Geoscience 17(1): 51-57, doi: 10.1038/s41561-023-01341-w (Open Access)

    2023

    • van de Zwan, F., Augustin, N., Petersen, S., Altalhi, S.M., Schultz, J., Peixoto, R.S., Follmann, J., Anker, A., Benzoni, F., Garcia Peredes, E.R., Malallah, M.A., Shepard, L., Ouhssain, M., Jägerup, S.B., Jones, B.H., and Rosado, A.S. (2023) Widespread diffuse venting and large microbial Fe-mounds in the Red Sea. Communications Earth Environment 4(12): 496. doi: 10.1038/s43247-023-01169-7 (Open Access)
    • Haroon, A., Paasche, H., Graber, S., Petersen, S., Attias, E., Jegen, M., Gehrmann, R., Hölz, S., and Klischies, M. (2023) Automated seafloor massive sulfide detection through integrated image segmentation and geophysical data analysis: Revisiting the TAG hydrothermal field. Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems 24(12): 011250. doi: 10.1029/2023GC011250 (Open Access)
    • Caraballo, E., Beaudoin, G., Dare, S., Genna, D., Petersen, S., Relvas, J.M.R.S., and Piercey, S.J. (2023) Trace element composition of chalcopyrite from volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits: variation and implications for provenance recognition. Economic Geology 118(8): 1923-1958, doi: 10.5382/econgeo.5020
    • Adam-Beyer, N., Laufer-Meiser, K., Fuchs, S., Schippers, A., Indenbirken, D., Petersen, S., and Perner, M. (2023) Microbial ecosystem assessment and hydrogen oxidation potential of newly discovered vent systems from the Central and South-East Indian Ridge. Frontiers in Microbiology 14: 1173613. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1173613 (Open Access)
    • Guo, Z., Rüpke, L., Petersen, S., German, C.R., Ildefonse, B., Hasenclever, J., Bialas, J., and Chunhui, T. (2023) Detachment-parallel recharge explains high discharge fluxes at the TAG hydrothermal field. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 617: 118245, doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2023.118245
    • Dura, A., Nomikou, P., Mertzimekis, T.J., Hannington, M.D., Petersen, S., and Poulos, S. (2023) Identifying probable submarine hydrothermal spots in north Santorini caldera using the generalized moments method. Geosciences 13: 269; doi: 10.3390/geosciences13090269 (Open Access)
    • Hannington, M., Petersen, S., and Jamieson, J. (2023) Another look at marine minerals. SEG Discovery 134: 19-30. doi: 10.5382/SEGnews.2023-134.fea-01
    • Young, T., Gale, S. L., Ragg, N. L. C., Sander, S. G., Burritt, D. J., Benedict, B., Le, D. V., Villas-Bôas, S. G. and Alfaro, A. C. (2023) Metabolic regulation of copper toxicity during marine mussel embryogenesis. Metabolites 13 (7): 838, doi:10.3390/metabo13070838 (Open Access)
    • Polymenakou, P., Nomikou, P., Hannington, M., Petersen, S., Kilias, S.P., Anastasiou, T.I., Papadimitriou, V., Zaka, E., Kristofersen, J.B., Lampridou, D., Wind, S., Heinath, V., Lange, S., and Magoulas, A.N. (2023) Taxonomic diversity of microbial communities in sub-seafloor hydrothermal sediments of the active Santorini-Kolumbo volcanic field. Frontiers in Mircobiology 14: 1188544, doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1188544 (Open Access)
    • Le Saout, M., Palgan, D., Devey, C.W., Lux, T.S., Petersen, S., Thorhallsson, D., Tomkowicz, A., and Brix, S. (2023): Variations in volcanism and tectonics along the hotspot-influenced Reykjanes Ridge. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems 24 (4), e2022GC010788, doi:10.1029/2022GC010788 (Open Access)
    • Martin, A.J., Jamieson, J.W., de Ronde, C.E.J., Layne, G.D., Piercey, G. & Brandl, P.A. (2023): Constraining temporal variations in metal and sulfur sources using high‑resolution mineral‑scale analysis of pyrite: evidence from the Brothers volcano, Kermadec arc, New Zealand. Mineralium Deposita (published online). doi:10.1007/s00126-023-01177-9.
    • Jegen, A., Dannowski, A., Schnabel, M., Barckhausen, U., Brandl, P.A., Riedel, M., Beniest, A., Heyde, I., Hannington, M.D., Sandhu, A., Werner, R. & Kopp, H. (2023): Extension dynamics of the northern Fonualei Rift and Spreading Center and the southern Mangatolu Triple Junction in the Lau Basin at 16°S. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems 24, e2022GC010550. doi:10.1029/2022GC010550 (Open Access)
    • Baumgartner, R.J., Hu, S., Petersen, S., Liu, S.-A., Li, D., and Kunzmann, M. (2023) The geochemistry of zinc and copper stable isotopes in deep-sea brine pools: perspectives from metalliferous sediments of the Atlantis II Deep, Red Sea. Chemical Geology 619 (3): 121320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2023.121320
    • Fassbender, M.L., Hannington, M.D., Stewart, M., Brandl, P.A., Baxter, A.T. & Diekrup, D. (2023): Geochemical signatures of felsic volcanic rocks in modern oceanic settings and implications for Archean greenstone belts. Economic Geology 118 (2): 319-345. doi:10.5382/econgeo.4967 (Open Access)
    • Brandl, P.A., Portnyagin, M., Zeppenfeld, H., Tepley III, F.J., de Ronde, C.E.J., Timm, C., Hauff, F. and Garbe-Schönberg, D. (2023): The origin of magmas and metals at the submarine Brothers volcano, Kermadec arc, New Zealand. Economic Geology, published online. doi:10.582/econgeo.4973

    The full list of MMR publications can be found here.