Search Documents

Welina mai to the 40th Underwater Mining Institute, UMI 2011 - Marine Minerals: Recent Innovations in Technology. Since the first conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1970, the UMI Founder Professor Robby Moore always insisted on actively seeking the participation of industry, academia, and government. History has proven the wisdom of this approach, which is probably the key to its survival for so many years. The UMI is very much influenced by the cyclical pressures of the minerals commodity markets. When minerals demand and prices are rising rapidly, industrial participation in the Institute dominates the agenda, and participants share optimistic and aggressive views of the commercial prospects of the day. When metals prices are falling and world economies lethargic, academic experts continue to provide guidance and breakthroughs in the concepts and practices of exploration, technology, and environmental protection. Throughout the ups and downs, government participants provide a stabilizing force with conservative and environmentally sensitive policy statements, patient development efforts with long-term objectives, authoritative resource assessments and, sometimes, much needed regulatory clarity.

Jan 1, 2011

By Steinar L. Ellefmo, Thomas Kuhn

The deep-sea ocean floor offers a great potential for mineral resources. The evaluation of these resources is both time consuming and costly and require as any resource evaluation data; geodata. The collection of hard data, physical samples, is of course preferred because the associated uncertainty is low. However, the collection of soft data or image derived data can offer a valuable supplement. In this paper image derived nodule uncertain abundance data from an area in the Pacific is utilized. Implementing these uncertain data improves the estimation when the quality of the estimation is measured using the classification indicators like the kriging standard deviation, the relative prediction error, the slope of regression and the weight of the mean. It is concluded that uncertain data is better than no data. INTRODUCTION The deep-sea offers vast mineral resources (Cathles (2011), Hannington et al. (2011), Hannington (2013), Singer (2014)). A mineral resource can according to increasing geological confidence be classified as an inferred, an indicated or a measured resource. The classification is performed by a competent- or qualified person and is dependent on the amount, quality and characteristic of available geodata. The competent person must have at least five years of experience relevant to both the style of mineralisation, the type of deposit and the performed task. Typical examples of a “task” is for example resource estimation and classification or planning- and execution of exploration activities and presentations of the results. The competent person must also be a member or a fellow of a professional organisation and thereby be bound by reporting code (-s) that defines minimum standards, recommendations and guidelines for public reporting.

Jan 1, 2018

By Manfred Krutein

Ocean mining has a number of problems which are critical to its development: ? Political hurdles on national and international stages ? The worldwide economic situation, with the possibliity of a recession ? Financial difficulties in funding further work ? Technical problems for the development of ocean mining and transport subsystems ? Demands for technology transfer This paper touches the last two points and provides some thoughts for discussion and creative objectification. The many technical problems of ocean mining will be identified and some proposed solutions will be investigated relative to the state-of-the-art technology of ocean mining and nodule transport. An outlook into the future attempts identification of the steps necessary to eventually develop components for workable systems that are not only technically but also economically feasible.

Jan 1, 1978

By NA UMC

Abstract Booklet

Dec 1, 2022

By Samantha Smith

Nautilus Minerals (Nautilus) is following the lead of the petroleum industry as it strives to tap vast offshore resources. Planning is well underway for the Solwara 1 Project in the Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea (PNG) to recover high-grade seafloor massive sulphide deposits in 1600 m water depth. The deposit contains an average copper grade >10 times higher than a typical land-based porphyry copper mine. The high grades combined with a relatively small amount of overburden ensure the Solwara 1 Project will have a significantly smaller physical footprint than its land-based counterparts. Offshore minerals production also has the advantage of minimal social disturbance. Nautilus is dedicated to setting a high environmental and social responsibility standard. Nautilus recognises the importance of transparent and inclusive stakeholder engagement and has taken a proactive approach to involve as many key stakeholders as possible. One of the first steps in the permitting process in PNG is the preparation of the Environmental Inception Report, which describes the project, its envisaged impacts and the proposed studies for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Local (PNG-based) and international environmental scientists, anthropologists, NGOs and other experts were involved in the definition of studies conducted for the Solwara 1 EIA and a team of world-leading experts was involved with carrying out the studies, culminating in the preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). To ensure transparency, collaborating researchers are free to publish their findings. Following its submission, the EIS was made available for public review and public hearings were held at several locations. The EIS has also undergone a rigorous independent review by PNG government-engaged consultants. Outside the permitting process, Nautilus works alongside government officials to carry out ongoing community consultations. Information dissemination and feedback acquisition has also occurred through the Nautilus website and attendance at a number of international conferences, workshops, and meetings. This paper will outline the leading edge approach Nautilus has taken in completing the environmental impact statement for the world?s first deep seafloor copper-gold mine. In addition, this paper will review the permitting process and the government and stakeholder engagement undertaken as part of Nautilus? desire to ?do it right? in this exciting new industry.

Jan 1, 2010

By Andrea Koschinsky, Sophie Paul

"INTRODUCTIONOnce again deep-sea mining has been receiving a lot of attention in recent years. Industrial and political advancements also call for environmental baseline studies and analyses to aid the development of standards and monitoring protocols. As part of the EU research project “JPI Oceans: Ecological Aspects of Deep-Sea Mining”, the RV Sonne cruise SO242 to the Peru Basin revisited the DISCOL area that had been artificially disturbed in 1989. This offered the unique opportunity to study a deep-sea site 26 years after a disturbance similar to manganese nodule mining had been carried out (Figure 1). A comparison of a variety of undisturbed and disturbed sites shed light on the re-establishment of a geochemical equilibrium and a range of baseline values. This information can help to inform standard development for monitoring and mining purposes.Heavy metal data and its applicationResearch findingsDuring the cruise, disturbed and undisturbed surface sediment was sampled. The pore water analyses show that the 26 years old disturbance is not visible in the metal profiles and that the pore water reaches equilibrium through diffusive fluxes relatively quickly. The sediment, however, shows some differences between disturbed and undisturbed sites in the upper 20 cm, even after 26 years. Lower concentrations in the usually manganese-oxide rich top layer, variations and “unnatural” peaks in the manganese profiles, for example, suggest removal or mixing of the top layer (Figure 2)."

Jan 1, 2017

By Leonhard Weixler

The Bauer company was founded in 1790 by coppersmith Sebastian Bauer in Schrobenhausen, a small town north-west of Munich. The original workshop business carried out works including repairs to church roofs and brew kettles. Later the company expanded its operations to encompass water pipe installation, which it continued through to the 1980s. In addition to installing water pipes it then also began drilling wells, which were sometimes constructed using very simple methods, such as tripod frames (Figure 1).

Jan 1, 2011

By Akira Usui

The details in small-scale variability of the geological occurrence and chemical composition of ferromanganese crusts are not yet well understood, although the northwestern Pacific seamounts are believed to be among the most promising areas for rare metal resources. Our belief is that geological observations and geochemical analyses are still insufficient for economic evaluation or for discussion of depositional processes and environments. Our team, composed of geologists, mineralogists, geochemists, physical engineers, and microbiologists has attempted to utilize an ROV for in-situ measurement and for sampling of undisturbed and uncontaminated ferromanganese crusts at three typical seamounts in the NW Pacific near the Japanese Exclusive Economic Zone. The first ROV geological survey of ferromanganese crusts was successfully completed, and the ROV proved to be the most powerful, efficient and elegant method to date. The collected samples (more than total 1 ton of crusts, at more than 100 sites along a total of approximately 10 km of survey lines) were most suitable to analyze water-depth dependency and secular variation of their composition. The intact surfaces of crusts, collected without the usual abrasion caused by dredging, were also valuable for microbial study of Mn oxidizing bacteria. The ROV sampling devices, however, can be improved with further sophisticated drills or rock saw blades in the future.

Jan 1, 2011

By NA UMC

Abstract Booklet

Dec 2, 2023

By Alexander Malahoff

The summit of L_ihi submarine volcano changed dramatically after seismic activity beneath L_ihi during the month of August 1996. Bathymetric re-surveys of the L_ihi edifice using SeaBeam, Simrad and deep-towed Reson-Focus multibeam systems showed the presence of new north-south striking fissures, normal faults and a new pit crater located at the site of a former 300-meter high volcanic cone. Comparisons between the pre-1996 SeaBeam data and the new bathymetry show a net loss of about 100 million cubic meters of rock volume on the summit. This loss is localized at a new pit crater -- the 300-meter deep by 1,300-meter wide Pele's Pit. Submersible observations with Pisces V show the northern edge of Pele's Pit to be bounded by a normal fault located north of the site of the former Pele's Vents cone that has disappeared into the new pit crater. A new hydrothermal field, the Ikaika Vents, extending from a water depth of 1,311 meters to 1,287 meters has formed at the northeastern edge of the floor of Pele's Pit. Submersible observations of these new Ikaika Vents during September 1996 showed vigorous venting at the site with extensive white-colored bacterial mats hanging off the rock face above the vents. Follow-up mapping and sampling of the vent sites during August 1997 showed vent temperatures of up to 198°C, dense populations of vent shrimps around the vents and a centimeters-thick veneer of fine-grained polymetallic sulfide mineralization along the rock walls above individual vents. The mineralogy of the sulfides shows a barite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and pyrite composition.

Jan 1, 1998

By Gregory Abramov

Borehole Mining (BHM), a remotely-operated waterjet mining method (Figure 1), has recently achieved two major milestones. It was, for the first time, applied to the extraction of manganese ore and at temperatures below freezing. The 1St stage is a demonstration test that is now underway just north of Emily, Minnesota, where the manganese ore is located 100-160m below the surface and its reserves are estimated to be in excess of 500,000 tons. The deposit was discovered over 60 years ago but, due to the fragile and sensitive nature of this Land of 10,000 Lakes (nickname for the State of Minnesota) and strong environmental restrictions, the iron/manganese reserves were deemed unrecoverable and remained untouched until late 2010 when permission for a single-hole demo-test was issued by the local Department of Natural Resources.

Jan 1, 2011

By Mark D. Hannington

Drilling of the active Trans-Atlantic Geotraverse (TAG) deposit during ODP Leg 158 indicated that the size of the mound-stockwork complex is approximately 3.9 million tonnes, including 2.7 million tonnes of massive and semi-massive sulfide (ca. 2% Cu) at the seafloor and 1.2 million tonnes of mineralized breccias (ca. 1% Cu) in a subseafloor stockwork. Quartz-pyrite veining in the stockwork zone extends from about 40 meters below seafloor (mbsf) to a depth of 95 mbsf. Siliceous wallrock breccias in the lower part of the stockwork grade abruptly into chloritized basalt breccias at the margins of the mineralized zone, and massive sulfides at the flanks of the deposit onlap relatively unaltered, partially hematized basalts. The pipe-like dimensions of the stockwork zone do not exceed the diameter of the sulfide mound. Comparisons with samples collected during earlier dive series confirm that the vent complexes at the surface of the mound are not representative of the bulk composition of the deposit. Dramatic vertical zonation of metals within the mound suggests that a long history of hydrothermal reworking has effectively stripped the constituents that are soluble at lower temperatures from the massive sulfides and concentrated them at the top of the deposit through a process of zone refining.

Jan 1, 1998

By Jan M. Peter

Many massive sulfide deposits and districts around the World contain rocks that are variously referred to as ?exhalites?, banded iron formation (IF), ?Algoma-type? IF, ferruginous chert, jasper, jasperoid, cherty tuff, tuffite, tuffaceous exhalite, chloritic IF or sulfide IF. With few exceptions, such rocks are thought to be (in part) fossil hydrothermal sediments deposited from hydrothermal fluids vented into a submarine rift environment. Such hydrothermal sediments are associated with a wide variety of ancient base-metal sulfide deposits (e.g., Cyprus-, Besshi-, Kuroko-, and Broken-Hill-type deposits), and hydrothermal sediments are commonly associated with some of the largest base metal sulfide deposits in the world. Analogs of ancient hydrothermal sediments can be found around many modern seafloor hydrothermal deposits which themselves precipitate from high-temperature (350°-400°C) hydrothermal fluids. Hydrothermal fluids are quenched on contact with ambient seawater, and most of the metals are immediately precipitated to form the mound and chimney deposits. However, for kinetic and solubility reasons, not all metals and other species are immediately precipitated at the vent site. Fine particles (up to several hundred microns in diameter) of sulfides, sulfates, carbonates, oxides, silica, Fe-oxyhydroxides, clays, and other phases are precipitated from the hydrothermal fluids in the water column above the deposits. These particles or "particulates" are carried upward for several hundred meters in a buoyant hydrothermal plume (which is typically several hundred meters thick) until it reaches a neutral density, and disperses laterally from the vent site. Modelling of plume dynamics has shown that the majority of particulates are deposited by gravitational settling a few hundred meters from the vent site, and Å99% of particulates are deposited within 3 kilometers. However, signals from modern plumes have been detected even hundreds of kilometers from their source. Factors which can affect the morphology of the plume (and the resultant fallout pattern) include: particulate size, shape and density, bottom topography, and the direction and velocity of bottom currents.

Jan 1, 1998

By Sofia Martins, Anna Lichtschlag, Sven Petersen, Fernando Barriga, Bramley Murton, Adeline Dutrieux

"Sediments in the vicinity of the hydrothermal seafloor massive sulphide (SMS) mounds are characterized by high concentration of metallic particles. They result from a long process of weathering of the primary mineral deposits and have been accumulated in depressions by mass wasting and hydrothermal plume fall-out. We present here the first results obtained on pore waters analyses of such sediments in distinct geological seafloor environments (in low-temperature hydrothermally active zones, on extinct hydrothermal mounds and in a remote depositional channel). Vertical concentration profiles suggest that the pore fluid composition is affected more by seawater circulation compared with hydrothermal fluid flow in all environments. The composition of pore fluids is affected by diagenesis and redox processes in the distal depositional channel where Mn2+ is released at depth with Cu2+.IntroductionMarine hydrothermal fields, hosting seafloor massive sulphides, are potential resources for future deep-sea mining and might become economic reserves for the industries. They are widespread at mid-oceanic ridges, arcs and back-arc spreading centers (Hannington et al., 2011; German et al., 2016). Sediments in the vicinity of these fields can contain unusually high concentration of Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu among other metal elements (Shearme et al., 1983). These hydrothermal, or metalliferous, sediments result from a combination of processes such as collapsing and weathering of chimney material, filling of the channels by turbidite-like mass wasting, in situ authigenic mineralization and hydrothermal plume fall-out (Goulding et al., 1998; German et al., 1990). The sediments contain important indicators reflecting the development of the hydrothermal systems. Because of their widespread distribution and metal content, they themselves can be considered potential mineral resources. Circulation of seawater through these deposits, however, often modifies the sediment composition by oxidizing the sulphides into oxyhydroxides and clays causing mobilization of the metals. To address the importance of alteration and diagenesis of these hydrothermal sediments, including the result of seawater circulation, we investigated the post-depositional processes occurring in the hydrothermal sediments at the TAG Hydrothermal Field (Mid-Atlantic Ridge, 26°N), focusing on the mobility of metallic cations in a number of different seafloor environments."

Jan 1, 2017

By James R. Hein

Rodriguez Seamount, located 150 km off the central California coast at the base of the continental slope, was studied using the ROV Tiburon aboard MBARI?s R/V Western Flyer, October 13-16, 2003. Fe-Mn crust and rock samples were collected along the SW flank of the seamount at water depths from 700 to 2100 m; bottom-water dissolved oxygen content (O2) and temperature were determined at each sample site. Fifty-three samples of bulk crusts, crust layers, and surface scrapes (~0.5 mm) were analyzed for 59 elements. Data allow for the correlation of crust compositions with precisely known water depths and seawater O2 measured at the actual site of sample collection. This is the first detailed study of Fe-Mn crust compositions in a region of strong continental-margin upwelling. Compared to open-ocean seamount Fe-Mn crusts, Rodriguez crusts have significantly higher (2-6 fold) mean concentrations of Fe (26.9%), Al (1.65%), Si (13.0%), Cr (82 ppm), Th (64 ppm), and Ag (1.7 ppm); and significantly lower (2-8 fold) mean concentrations of Ca, P, Bi, Co, Cu, Ni, Tl, and especially Te (8.2 times lower). All but one Fe/Mn ratio are >1 compared to <1 ratios for open-ocean crusts. O2 contents (0.35-2.03 ml/L) are nearly perfectly corrected with water depth and elements correlated with one are correlated with the other. The Fe-Mn surface scrapes represent 60-450 ka (mean 150 ka) of growth, whereas the dissolved oxygen contents of seawater represent an instant in time. Assuming that the entire sample set was affected uniformly by oceanographic changes, we suggest that correlation of elements with O2 may reflect oceanographic processes. O2 has a negative correlation with P, V, As, Fe, U, Be, Pb, Cr, Mg, Y, Bi, Te, and REEs (except Ce) and a positive correlation with aluminosilicate-hosted elements (Al, K, Rb, Cs). This later relationship is related solely to water depth, indicating that detritus shed down the seamount slopes accumulates in greater abundances in deeper-water crusts. Si/Al ratios indicate that the detritus includes a large component of biosilica produced by upwelling-mediated high productivity. These observations are supported by positive correlations of aluminosilicate-hosted elements with crust growth rates (range 1.2-13.0 mm/Myr). In contrast, other elements (Sr, Co, Mn, Mg, Te, As, Mo, V, W, U, Ti, Ni, REEs, etc.) are negatively correlated with growth rates. Growth rate has a weak positive correlation with O2. These compositional characteristics indicate that even though low-O2 seawater acts as a reservoir for Mn and associated elements and produces slow growth rates, which would allow for the concentration of elements and surface oxidation processes to occur, the high rate of input of detritus and high bioproductivity ameliorate the strong concentration of most metals. This dilution is significantly enhanced by the doubling of FeOOH in the crusts--the main cause of the generally high growth rates compared to open-ocean crusts. The high growth rates limit the oxidation of Co, Tl, and especially Te on the crust surface, which is reflected by their relatively low concentrations. Within the range of oxygen contents measured, O2 has less of an influence on crust chemistry than does the availability and incorporation of FeOOH and detritus.

Jan 1, 2004

By Mark D. Hannington

Seafloor polymetallic sulfides have been found in diverse volcanic and tectonic settings on the ocean floor at water depths ranging from 3700 meters to <1500 meters. More than 100 occurrences of hydrothermal mineralization have been documented (including Fe-oxide deposits, Mn-crusts, metalliferous sediments, and massive sulfides), but high-temperature hydrothermal activity and large accumulations of polymetallic sulfides are known at fewer than 20 different sites. Chemical analyses of samples from these deposits indicate that they contain important concentrations of Cu, Zn, Ag, and Au, comparable to those of massive sulfide deposits on land. However, the lack of sufficient data concerning the distribution, size, and bulk composition of seafloor deposits precludes a meaningful assessment of their resource potential.

Jan 1, 1994

By James M. Cairns

Deep Sea Minerals Inc. (DSM) is a high technology marine minerals and biotechnology corporation. The corporation is currently engaged in a worldwide leasing program to acquire exclusive rights in specific Economic Exclusive Zones (EEZ?s) that DSM?s marine geologists have identified as prospective targets for seabed mines of copper, zinc, gold, and silver. In the last two years the corporation has assembled an international team, including some of the world?s leading marine research scientists and engineers, and has created strategic partnerships and alliances with world-class engineering and mining groups. Development of a marine mining venture has key requirements in common with most other mining ventures. These include financing, deposit location, property acquisition, deposit delineation, and permitting, as well as the collection, transportation, processing and marketing of the ore itself. DSM has made progress on all of these fronts, which is outlined in a general way in this presentation. Financing for the venture is clearly the first big hurdle to overcome. Deep seabed mining involves new technologies and significant up-front capital investment. Less than fifteen years ago, such financing would probably have impossible to achieve, given classical business models. However, with the spectacular success of high technology ventures in the areas of electronics, software, and biotechnology, new business models and investment strategies have evolved which put relatively high evaluations on intellectual property and exhibit relatively high confidence in new ways of doing things. DSM is taking full advantage of these changes in venture capital markets in its financial planning.

Jan 1, 2000

By Tetsuo Yamazaki

Manganese nodules on deep ocean floors have continuously received attention as potential sources for strategic metals such as Co, Ni, Cu, and Mn, due to their vast distribution and relatively higher metal concentrations (Mero, 1965; Cronan, 1980). Several registered Pioneer Investors have already identified promising sites in deep-sea regions for manganese nodule mining (ISA, 1998), and appropriate mining technologies have been developed during the last thirty years by the international consortium and several nations (Welling, 1981; Kaufman et al., 1985; Bath, 1989; Charles et al., 1990; Yang and Wang, 1997; Yamada and Yamazaki, 1998; Hong and Kim, 1999; Muthunayagam and Das, 1999). The mining feasibility for manganese nodules, including an economic evaluation, has been examined in detail by some researchers (Andrews et al., 1983; Hillman and Gosling, 1985; Charles et al., 1990; Soreide et al., 2001).

Jan 1, 2011

By Raymond A. Binns

The Eastern Manus Basin (EMB) contains three major active hydrothermal zones and a number of smaller occurrences of hydrothermal deposits, and can be considered as a regional-scale modern analogue for volcanic-hosted mineral fields on land. Unlike the central Manus Basin, a back-arc spreading zone with some MORB-like basalt-hosted massive sulfide deposits, the EMB is a pull-apart rift zone between two transform faults, where a basement of Eocene-Oligocene arc crust is being thinned by extension, with rapid sedimentation on the tilted fault blocks. Present-day submarine igneous activity in the EMB, with which hydrothermal activity is associated, has arc geochemical affinities and is related to subduction of the Solomon Sea Plate at the New Britain Trench. Overall, hydrothermal deposits in EMB are found with lavas ranging from picritic basalt to rhyodacite in composition, although the two major occurrences of massive sulfide are hosted by the more siliceous dacite and rhyodacite variants. Some volcanic edifices are central eruptions, mostly of porphyritic lavas or domes, while others are elongate ridges formed by fissure eruption in which the typically aphyric lavas were very fluid. Evidence for shallow-level fractional crystallisation controls of lava chemistry implies presence of subjacent differentiated intrusions or former magma chambers. Seismic tremor at one site during the nearby 1994 Rabaul eruption suggests magma movement in the chamber.

Jan 1, 1998

By Peter A. Rona

The recent discovery of the first black smoker-type hydrothermal venting and massive sulfide mineral deposits at a site in the rift valley of the slow-spreading Mid-Atlantic Ridge near latitude 26°N, longitude 45°W (Rona et al., 1986, Nature, 321: 33-37), demonstrates that a complete series of hydrothermal mineral deposit types exists at slow-spreading oceanic ridges (half-rate = 2 cm/y), similar to the series previously known at faster-spreading oceanic ridges (half-rate > 2 cm/y). The largest hydrothermal mineral deposit known at a seafloor spreading center is a stratiform massive sulfide body with bulk dry weight of about 100 x 106 metric tons in the Atlantis II Deep at the slow-spreading axis of the Red Sea. This observation invalidates the concept that size of a hydrothermal deposit is directly proportional to rate of seafloor spreading. Instead, the occurrence, grade and size of a hydrothermal deposit formed at a seafloor spreading center is controlled by anomalous chemical and physical conditions which may occur at extremely localized sites at the full range of spreading rates. The basic hydrothermal process involving subseafloor hydrothermal convection driven by magmatic heat sources appears to be similar at slow- and faster-spreading centers. However, differences exist in the periodicity of magmatic cycles that energize hydrothermal circulation (104 y at slow-spreading centers; 103 y at faster-spreading centers); in the distribution of hydrothermal sites along a spreading axis (estimated 100 km along slow-spreading centers; 10 km along faster-spreading centers); and in residence time

Jan 1, 1986