The effect of low-temperature alteration of basalt on the oceanic budget of potassium

Alteration of the oceanic crust along fractures is a major sink for the K supplied to the ocean. However, this process alone does not seem adequate to maintain the steady-state of the ocean with respect to K. Formation of authigenic K-bearing minerals may also be a major factor in its removal from sea water. Ion exchange and palagonitization appear to play relatively minor roles in the oceanic budget of K.