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image of ferromanganese nodule cross-section, courtesy Dr. Frank Manheim, USGS.

World Data Service for Geophysics

Marine Geology Data

NOAA and MMS Marine Minerals Bibliography

doi:10.7289/V53X84KN

NOAA and MMS Marine Minerals Geochemical Database

doi:10.7289/V52Z13FT

How to Cite the Bibliography:

Warnken, Robin R., Virden, William T., and Carla J. Moore (1992). The NOAA and MMS Marine Minerals Bibliography. National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA. doi:10.7289/V53X84KN

How to Cite the Geochemical Database:

Grant, J. Bruce, Moore, Carla J., Alameddin, George, Chen, Kuiying, and Mark Barton (1992). The NOAA and MMS Marine Minerals Geochemical Database. National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA. doi:10.7289/V52Z13FT

About the Bibliography and Geochemical Database:

From 1983 through 1991, the National Geophysical Data Center compiled a comprehensive, computerized bibliography and geochemical database on offshore marine mineral deposits as a cooperative effort with the Ocean Minerals and Energy Division of the National Ocean Service of NOAA, and the Office of International Activities and Marine Minerals (INTERMAR) of the Minerals Management Service.

The Marine Minerals Bibliography includes references to present-day marine deposits of ferromanganese nodules and crusts, placers/heavy minerals, phosphorites, and polymetallic sulfides. The final bibliography contains citations from 1831 through 1990. Information in the file includes author, title, publication/serial title, date of publication, language, etc., as well as several key word categories including geographic area and type of study conducted. Subject key words are annotated with "general" or "technical" to indicate whether a subject was mentioned briefly, or was explored in detail. Key words also include the names of each mineral and each element mentioned in the article. Geographic keys include ocean or sea name, numeric designators for the ocean/sea, the name of any pertinent geographic feature, US exclusive economic zones (e.g. East Coast), and geologic setting.

About the 1992 CD-ROM:

In 1992, the completed database and bibliography were released on CD-ROM. The NOAA and MMS Marine Minerals CD-ROM Data Set, produced by NGDC and partially funded by INTERMAR, contains the entire NCEI Marine Minerals Bibliography and Geochemical Database and several data files compiled by other organizations. The bibliography is searchable online. In 2000, the International Seabed Authority reworked the geochemical data from the CD-ROM, and the updated version of the database is searchable on their Web site (see link below), although their database has not been updated in several years. In 2013, Dr. J.M. Monget began work on a Linked Data bibliography and database encompassing both the NGDC and ISA data.

Updated NOAA and MMS Bibliography and Geochemical Database at the International Seabed Authority (ISA):

A copy of the information from this bibliography and database is encompassed by the greatly enhanced and expanded International Seabed Authority marine minerals database and bibliography. MMBIB identifiers used by the International Seabed Authority marine minerals database can be interpreted using the NOAA and MMS bibliography search, with the exception of new references added after completion of the NOAA and MMS project.

Related External Data:

EarthChem
Geochemical Earth Reference Model
IFREMER
International Marine Minerals Society
International Seabed Authority