Visual examination of the cores and microscopic examination of smear slides of the wide variety of sediments cored on Leg 1 revealed an equal range of particle origins, modes of transport, and manner of deposition. Brown deep-sea clays characterize the uppermost (Pliocene-Pleistocene) sediments of the Atlantic sites, and red deep-sea clay was cored below Middle Eocene sediments at Site 7. The main mineral constituents are clay minerals and quartz. The color results mainly from iron and manganese minerals. Manganese oxides are present in small nodules in theses red clays. The X radiographs of Site 4 and Site 7 commonly show a distinct granular texture, presumably because of the X-ray opaque limonite and pyrite grains. For Site 4 they also show larger ferruginous and possibly manganiferous nodules, some of which appear to be mineralized pumice fragments. With certain exceptions, the general composition of the brown and red clays cored on Leg 1 (the presence of much kaolinite and quartz, and scarcity of zeolite) suggests a largely terrigenous origin.

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1989 NOAA-NCEI compiled the NOAA-MMS Marine Minerals Geochemical Database from journal articles, technical reports and unpublished sources from other institutions.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: Beall, A O; Fischer, A G (1969): Sedimentology. In: Ewing, M.; Worzel, J.L.; et al., Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, U.S. Government Printing Office, I, 521-593