Abstract
The mobility of rare-earth elements (REE) and U during hydrothermal alteration of the basalts at spreading centres has long been a matter of concern because of its bearing on the evolution and recycling of the oceanic crust1–6. Previous approaches to this problem have been indirect, through studies on altered dredged basalts or ophiolites. We report here sampling of hydrothermal vent waters from the East Pacific Rise (EPR) at 13° N7,8, which provides the first direct evidence of REE-enriched solutions which, however, leave the budget of these elements in the crust and the ocean rather unmodified. In contrast, uranium, like magnesium, is quantitatively taken up from the seawater during the hydrothermal process.
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Michard, A., Albarède, F., Michard, G. et al. Rare-earth elements and uranium in high-temperature solutions from East Pacific Rise hydrothermal vent field (13 °N). Nature 303, 795–797 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/303795a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/303795a0
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