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Large Polymetallic Nodules
During Dive 10 of the 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration expedition, the team observed very large polymetallic nodules, some as large as 10 centimeters (4 inches) or greater in diameter. Nodules form around hard materials, such as fossilized shark teeth or fragments of rock, slowly accumulating around this nucleus. The large size of the nodules seen during the dive suggest that they may have been growing for a very long time.