Alternative Resources for Producing Nickel Matte - Laterite Ores and Polymetallic Nodules

Manganese (polymetallic) nodules on the deep seafloor in the open ocean have attracted great interest because of their economic potential. Visual data on nodules found on the deep seafloor such as photographs and videos have increased exponentially with the recent progress of related technologies. These data are expected to reflect useful information for estimating these mineral resources, as well as understanding their geological origin. Although the size, number, and coverage of manganese nodules have been measured in seafloor images, the burial of such nodules has not been sufficiently examined. This paper focuses on mathematical expression of the burial of the manganese nodules and attempts to quantitatively elucidate relations among burial degree and nodule geological parameters. The results, that is, a dataset obtained by calculations of relations among parameters, are also utilized for considerations of quantitative expression of burial. These considerations are expected to contribute to a better understanding of the geological origin of manganese nodules.

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The Enrichment Regularity of Rare Earth Elements and Resource Characteristics in Polymetallic Nodules/Crusts

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.284-286.2497 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 284-286 ◽

pp. 2497-2500

Author(s):

Lian Feng Gao ◽

Peng Zhang ◽

Ying Zhang ◽

Zhen Guo Zhang ◽

Chang Shui Liu

Keyword(s):

Rare Earth ◽

Rare Earth Elements ◽

Manganese Oxides ◽

Average Content ◽

Cobalt Nickel ◽

Mineral Development ◽

Polymetallic Nodules ◽

The Pacific ◽

Resource Characteristics ◽

Iron Manganese

Polymetallic nodules/crusts are one of the most important mineral deposits in the ocean, in which iron, manganese, copper, cobalt, nickel and other metals are rich, and rare earth elements are rich, too. In this study, the contents of 11 rare earth samples in polymetallic nodules/crusts from the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean and north of the South China Sea are analyzed. The average content of rare earth in polymetallic nodules/crusts is 1265.57×10-6, the average content of nodules is 1096.96×10-6, and the average content of crust is 1623.88×10-6. The enrichment of rare earth elements is controlled by iron and manganese oxides and clay minerals in nodules/crusts, which could absorb rare earth elements from seawater and sediment. Ce elements are highly enriched, making polymetallic nodules/crusts become the first used rare earth elements in mineral development.

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Polymetallic Nodules: Resource Potential and Mining Prospects

Marine Technology Society Journal ◽

10.4031/mtsj.55.6.8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 55 (6) ◽

pp. 22-30

Author(s):

Rahul Sharma

Keyword(s):

Deep Sea ◽

Environmental Issues ◽

Industrial Applications ◽

Green Energy ◽

Steady Increase ◽

Critical Metals ◽

Alternative Source ◽

Resource Potential ◽

Polymetallic Nodules ◽

International Seabed Authority

Abstract Deep-sea minerals such as polymetallic nodules have attracted significant interest among stakeholders not only for evaluating their potential as an alternative source of critical metals that are required for various industrial applications including green energy but also in developing technology for their exploitation. There has been a steady increase in the number of contractors having exploration rights over large tracts on the seafloor in the “Area,” and the International Seabed Authority that is mandated with the responsibility of regulating such activities is in the process of preparing a code for exploitation of these deep-sea minerals. This commentary takes a look at the resource potential and mining prospects of polymetallic nodules while addressing the economic and environmental issues associated with them.

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Long-Term Monitoring and Research in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone

Marine Technology Society Journal ◽

10.4031/mtsj.55.6.5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 55 (6) ◽

pp. 16-21

Author(s):

Laurence P. Madin

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Academic Research ◽

Climate Science ◽

Polymetallic Nodules ◽

Continuous Presence ◽

Offshore Oil Industry ◽

Offshore Oil ◽

Term Monitoring

Abstract The widely recognized need for large-scale transition from fossil to renewable energy sources has led to renewed effort to obtain metals needed for battery-based electric transportation and other functions. A potential source of some of these metals is the deposits of polymetallic nodules on the deep seafloor. If mining of these deposits proceeds in the coming decade, the enterprise creates an opportunity for extensive, long-term oceanographic research in the mining locations. The need to monitor environmental effects of mining activity can best be met with a near-continuous presence of a research platform in the vicinity. The platform could be a ship or potentially a semi-submersible platform like those used in the offshore oil industry. Such a facility might be supported by a consortium of mining companies and also provide opportunities for academic research in ocean and climate science.

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