The appearance and origin of colours in muddy marine sediments around New Zealand

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Abstract
Muddy marine sediments in the New Zealand region show a considerable range of colour. Thirty-five representative samples were selected, and divided by the writer into seven groups, lettered A to G. Simple chemical tests were applied to these samples in order to obtain information regarding the nature of the chemical compounds which control the colour of these sediments. The colour of the sediments appears to be controlled mainly by adsorbed compounds of various types. These compounds include: (a) a particular type of organic matter, which gives rise to an olive hue; (b) certain iron compounds (probably silicates) which contain exchangeable ferric iron, and are sometimes partly responsible for an olive hue; (c) ferric oxide or hydroxide, which gives rise to orange, yellowish brown or yellow hues; and (d) manganese dioxide, which also gives rise to orange or yellowish brown hues, but which produces considerably darker sediments than ferric oxide or hydroxide.

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