MAJOR ELEMENT COMPOSITIONS OF SURFACE SEDIMENTS IN THE EAST PHILIPPINE SEA AND ITS GEOLOGICAL IMPLICATION

To systemically understand the character and geological implication of major element compositions of surface sediments in the East Philippine Sea, integrated analyses of major element contents of 53 samples and elemental occurrence of 3 typical samples have been carried out. The major elements component of SiO₂, Al₂O₃ and Fe₂O₃ are mainly concentrated in the detrital component. The metallic element (that is, Mn) content is higher in the study area than that in the adjacent marginal seas, with main concentration in the hydrogenic ferromanganese phase. The sediments occur in a deep-sea environment,and are mainly derived from nearby volcanic detritus and volcanic hydrothermal activities, with minor contributions from continental clay minerals and biological materials.