Offshore Occurrences of Heavy-Mineral Placers, Northwest Galicia, Spain

ABSTRACT Results of offshore water-jet sediment sampling demonstrate the potential for interstadial placer deposits of industrial minerals in the shore-face to inner-shelf of Cape Ortegal, NW Spain. Placer deposition is interpreted to have occurred during glacial interstadials since the Last Glacial Maximum, and deposits sampled at 24 to 42 m. BSL were formed during the Younger Dryas, and subsequently preserved as a result of very rapid rising sea-levels. The sediments are almost entirely terrestrially derived with a particularly high heavy mineral content (Sp. Gr. >2.9), of more than 75% in all samples. Reworked garnet from earlier-sedimentary deposits constitutes an important fraction of the placer deposits identified but is generally absent in other sediments. Indications of the presence of +5 m-thick paleo-placer deposits with sections include: Placer garnet + spinel grades increase with depth in those sediments at 24 to 42 m BSL to the ocean-floor. The d50 of sediments with background grades decrease...