At the date of publication the radioactivity of bottom sediments had only been published by a few authors. The radioactivity of selected characteristic ferro-manganese formations samples taken from different seas and lakes has been determined. This investigations covers nine seas and lakes of the U.S.S.R., and for comparison, two manganese concretions from the Pacific.

From 1983 until 1989 NOAA-NCEI compiled the NOAA-MMS Marine Minerals Geochemical Database from journal articles, technical reports and unpublished sources from other institutions. At the time it was the most extended data compilation on ferromanganese deposits world wide. Initially published in a proprietary format incompatible with present day standards it was jointly decided by AWI and NOAA to transcribe this legacy data into PANGAEA. This transfer is augmented by a careful checking of the original sources when available and the encoding of ancillary information (sample description, method of analysis...) not present in the NOAA-MMS database.

Supplement to: Kurbatov, L M (1937): On the radioactivity of bottom sediments. American Journal of Science, s5-33(194), 147-153