blue mud
blue mud
An ocean-bottom deposit containing up to 75% terrigenous materials of dimensions below 0.03 mm. The depth range occurrence is about 750 to 16,800 ft (229 to 5,120 m). Colors range from reddish to brownish at the surface, but beneath the surface, the colors of the wet muds are gray to blue.
A common variety of deep-sea mud having a bluish-gray color due to presence of organic matter and finely divided iron sulfides. Calcium carbonate is present in amounts up to 35%.