Coupled 186Os–187Os enrichments in the Earth’s mantle – core–mantle interaction or recycling of ferromanganese crusts and nodules?

186Os enrichments in volcanic rocks and peridotite-derived iridosmine grains have been attributed to contributions from Earth’s outer core to the mantle, and apparently constrain the scale of mantle convection and an early timing for inner–outer core segregation more than 3.5 Gyr ago. Here, we highlight that marine ferromanganese crusts and nodules are characterised by high Pt/Os ratios and Pt–Os contents that develop much larger 186Os excesses over geological time (≥0.2%/Gyr) than those hypothesised for Earth’s outer core (<0.005–0.01%/Gyr). 187Os/188Os ratios in ferromanganese crusts are radiogenic due to sequestering of continental Os from seawater. Similarly, ancient ferromanganese materials may have had 186Os excesses (>0.1%) as a result of high Pt/Os ratios in continental crust, even prior to in-growth of 186Os after formation due to their high Pt/Os ratios. Past recycling of small amounts of these materials into the Earth’s mantle will produce coupled 187Os–186Os excesses and little change in Re and platinum-group-element concentrations, as observed in Hawaiian picrites, and in contrast to the predicted result of outer core addition to the mantle. 187Os and 186Os enrichments in the Hawaiian mantle source are potentially consistent with it comprising recycled oceanic lithosphere, pelagic sediments and ferromanganese materials, and questions the notion that Os isotopes can be used to uniquely identify core–mantle interactions and the depth at which mantle sources for volcanism originate.