The concentrations of seven trace metals in the pore waters of marine sediments from Loch Fyne, Scotland, have been analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry following solvent extraction. The samples were taken from sediments containing variable amounts of sulfide at depth and variable thicknesses of oxides at the surfaces; one core contains abundant manganese nodules and manganese‐calcium carbonate concretions.The distribution of dissolved Mn shows a regular downward decrease in all cores examined which is interpreted as an indication of recycling of Mn between solid diagenetic mineral phases and pore solutions. Dissolved Fe, in much lower concentrations, either decreases or increases down the core depending on the type of sediment; Cu, Ni, Zn, Co, and Pb also show variable concentration profiles indicating control by different post‐depositional reactions in the sediment, which in turn depend on different physiochemical environments generated by variable amounts of contained organic material and different accumulation rates.