This report deals with results of the first stage of a complex study of the predominantly Lower Cretaceous sediments cored at Site 398 at depths from 945 to 1740 meters. The section studied is overlain by 35 meters of Cenomanian sediments, which are similar lithologically to the underlying sequence. In the upper part (Unit 3) a major rock-forming carbonate mineral is present in much of the section as calcite, often with distinct structural features indicative of a biogenic origin (nannofossils, skeletal detritus) and diagenetic recrystallization. Unit 3 is characterized by abundant authigenic minerals represented mainly by siderite and manganese-bearing carbonate minerals.

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1989 NOAA-NCEI compiled the NOAA-MMS Marine Minerals Geochemical Database from journal articles, technical reports and unpublished sources from other institutions.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: Basov, Valery A; Lopatin, B G; Gramberg, Igor S; Danjushevskaya, A I; Kabankov, V Y; Lazurkin, V M; Patrunov, D K (1979): Lower Cretaceous Lithostratigraphy near Galicia Bank. In: Sibuet, J.-C.; Ryan, W.B.F.; et al., Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, U.S. Government Printing Office, 47 Pt. 2, 683-717