Distribution Patterns of Aluminium, Titanium, Manganese, Copper and Nickel in Sediments of the Northern Half of the Western Continental Shelf of India

Abstract

Studies on the distribution patterns of various elements coupled with the distribution pattern of calcium carbonate have revealed that (i) along any given section across the shelf, relatively high concentrations of all the elements are associated with the terrigenous sediments than those with the relict sediments of the outer shelf, (ii) elements like titanium, manganese and copper exhibit regional differences from north to south and (iii) manganese, nickel and copper (on carbonate-free basis) tend to be enriched in clays and silty clays of the outer shelf region. While variations across the shelf are attributed to the association of elements with the terrigenous material to a large extent, variations along the shelf (from north to south) are attributed to the differences in the mineralogical composition of sediments. These studies have also revealed that the effect of Indus river system is profound on the shelf between Indus canyon and Gulf of Kutch, marginal between Gulf of Kutch and Gulf of Cambay and least in the rest of the region.