Radionuclides in Manganese nodules

The decrease of excess 230Th with depth within a nodule is generally interpreted to be due to the radioactive decay, and nodule accumulation rates were then estimated from this to be a few mm/Myr. How then do these nodules escape from burial by associated marine sediments which accumulate 3 orders of magnitude faster than the nodules?

One possible explanation is that the radionuclides of interest were not incorporated in the nodule matrix during its growth but were adsorbed later. Subsequent inward diffusion of the radionuclides might result in an apparent radioactive decay. We have tested this hypothesis by measuring simultaneously two radionuclides of different half lives.