Which metal ions contribute to precipitates formed on the ocean floor around geothermal vents?
A hydrothermal vent is a fissure in a planet’s surface from which geothermally heated water issues. Hydrothermal vents are commonly found near volcanically active places, areas where tectonic plates are moving apart, ocean basins, and hotspots. Chimney structures that emit a cloud of BLACK material are called “black smokers”, named for the dark hue of the particles they emit. The black smokers typically emit particles with high levels of sulphur-bearing minerals, or sulphides, typically of heavy metals such as copper (Cu2+), zinc (Zn2+), silver (Ag+), manganese (as MnS2), lead (Pb2+), gold (Au) and other trace metals. These trace metals can include cobalt (Co), tin (Sn), germanium (Ge), gallium (Ga), cadmium (Cd), bismuth (Bi), indium (In) and the non-metals sulphur (S), tellurium (Te) and selenium (Se). “White smokers” refer to vents that emit lighter-hued minerals, such as those containing barium (Ba2+), calcium (Ca2+), and silicon (as SiO2). These vents also tend to have lower tempe
