Seamounts an additional tool to confirm the nature of the crust and to locate possible mineral resources for dredging

Abstract

Study of bathymetric data for the distal Bengal Fan reveals the presence of positive topographic features resembling seamounts. These features exhibit a relief of about 800 m above the surrounding seafloor at 4,400 m and are associated with large‐amplitude magnetic and gravity anomalies. Magnetic model studies suggest that one of the seamounts evolved along with the oceanic crust represented by the magnetic isochron A32 (∼ 72 My), while the other seamount was emplaced over the Cretaceous Quiet Zone Crust with reversed polarity. The seamounts studied provide an environment for possible locations of polymetallic encrustations. Morphology of the seamounts depends on several factors, including physical and chemical composition of the magma, eruption style, sediment thickness, maturity of underlying crust, and time of origin. Studying the seamounts together with integrated geophysical and physical data gave useful indications of their evolution and the existence of possible mineral deposits. © 1998 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.