The ROV’s manipulator arm probes the mat showing that the black mat is just a thin crust over the thicker fluffy yellow mat.

The Quest 4000 ROV manipulator arm is used to probe the manganese-encrusted mats. It is oftentimes difficult to visually discern the difference between black basaltic/silicic rock and the mats without investigation. Video courtesy of MARUM, University of Bremen and NOAA-Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory.

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