Deep sea mining for exotic minerals

What does it do to the sea floor?BY:GANESH ANILJAMIE CORBETTLEBEKO MATABANEDHARNYY RAGUNATHAN

Overview1. History2. Famous Engineers3. Significant Constructions4. Environmental Impacts5. How to: counter negative effects?6. The Future?7. Comparing Deep sea mining & Terrestrial mining8. Conclusion9. References

History of Deep sea mining

GFig. 1 HMS Challenger Ship (2013)

Kevin Cain

• Title: Deep Sea Engineer• Job: Project manager at Nautilus

Minerals

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Famous Engineers

• Title: Mineral Process Engineer• Job: General Manager at

Nautilus Minerals

Adam Wright

Fig. 2 Kevin Cain (2015) Fig. 3 Adam Wright (2015)

Nautilus Minerals –Solwara 1

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Fig. 4 Bulk Cutter (2014) Fig. 6 Zinc ore (2012)

Fig. 5 Deep sea mining operation (2014)

Environmental Impacts

Biological Physical

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1. Effects of ocean current

2. Growth and development of species

3. Temporary loss of organisms

1. Removal of sediments

2. Release of toxic elements

3. Neutralisation by sea water

How to counter these negative effects?

1.Collector device

2.At-sea processing

3.Surface discharge

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Fig.7 Nodule Harvest (2014) Fig.8 Nautilus Minerals (2011) Fig.9 Simulation of Surface Discharge (2003)

Fig.10 Green Mining

THE FUTURE?2020 – 2025 Strict restrictions

2025 – 2035 Research to stabilize the ecosystem

2035-2040 Implementation

2040+ Further expansion of deep sea mines

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Ores recovered from the deep sea

Recovered oresRemaining ores

Graph 1: Ores recovered from deep sea mining

Comparison of impacts on the environment

• Mining Process

Deep Sea Mining Terrestrial Mining

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• Waste ManagementFig.11 Deep sea mining (2011)

Fig.12 Mining equipment

Conclusion• Temporary effects on the ecological conditions• Strict regulations should be followed

Deep sea mining can be a positive way of extracting exotic minerals.L

Fig.13 Marine Life (2013)

3D animation offshore mining vessel

https://vimeo.com/35944219

References • Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority (No date). Exploration History [online] Available from:

www.seabedmineralsauthority.gov.ck [Accessed 22 October 2015].• Earth Works (Shreema Mehta). (2015). The Dangers of Deep Sea Mining. [online]. Available from: www.earthworksaction.org

[Accessed 21 October 2015]. • European Commission – DG Maritime and Fisheries. (2014). Interim report under FWC MARE/2012/06 SC E1/2013/04. [Online].

(report) p125 – 127. Available from: www.webgate.ec.europa.eu [Accessed on 21 October 2015]. • International Seabed Authority Publication (No date). Marine Mineral Resources. Available from: www.isa.org.jm [Accessed 22

October 2015].• JLT Mining (2014). Deep Sea Mining: The new frontier of Mineral Extraction [online]. Available from: www.jltspeciality.com

[Accessed 21 October 2015].• Kayina, M. (No Date). The Advent of Deep Sea Mining for Natural Resources: Historical Background and Relevance to the 21st

Century [Online]. Available from: www.academia.edu [Accessed 21 October 2015]• Markussen, J.M. (1994), Deep Seabed Mining and the Environment: Consequences, Perceptions, and Regulations, in Helge Ole

Bergesen and Georg Parmann, Green Globe Yearbook of International Co -operation on Environment and Development 1994, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 31–39. Available from: www.fni.no [Accessed 22 October 2015].

• MIT, (2014). Analysing the prospects of Deep Sea Mining [online] Available from: http://web.mit.edu [Accessed 24 October 2015]. • Scott S.D (2009). Deep Ocean Mining. Geoscience Canada: Geological Association of Canada. [Online]. 28(2). p7-10. Available from:

www.journals.lib.unb.ca . [Accessed 20 October 2015]• Sharma, R. (2015). Environmental Issues of Deep-Sea Mining , Procedia Earth and Planetary Science, 11, 209• The Maritime Executive (2015). Deep Sea Mining Simulator for Solwara 1 [online]. Available from: www.maritime-executive.com

[Accessed 22 October 2015].

References - Images• Figure 1. HMS Challenger Ship (2013). At: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-175 (Accessed on 23.10.15)• Figure 2. Kevin Cain (2015). At:http://www.nautilusminerals.com/irm/content/team.aspx?RID=253 (Accessed on 25.10.15)• Figure 3. Adam Wright (2015). At:http://www.nautilusminerals.com/irm/content/team.aspx?RID=253(Accessed on 25.10.15)• Figure 4. Bulk cutter (2014). At: http://subseaworldnews.com/2014/04/10/nautilus-minerals-completes-spt-bulk-cutter-assembly/

(Accessed on 23.10.15)• Figure 5. Deep sea mining operation (2014). At: http://ww2.kqed.org/quest/2014/09/09/deep-sea-mining-might-happen-so-what/

(Accessed on 22.10.15)• Figure 6. Zinc ore (2012). At:https://orebeneficiation.wordpress.com/2012/01/12/popular-zinc-ore-processing-equipment (Accessed

on 26.10.15)• Figure 7. Nodule Harvest (2014). At: http://www.helmholtz.de/en/article/mining-in-the-deep-ocean-2831/ (Accessed on 24.10.15)• Figure 8. Nautilus Minerals (2011) At: http://www.womp-int.com/story/2011vol04/story015.htm (Accessed on 24.10.15)• Figure 9. Simulation of surface discharge (2003). At:https://wiki.inf.ufrgs.br/Previous_Projects_on_Computer_Graphics,

_Visualization_and_Interaction (Accessed on 22.10.15)• Figure 10. Green Mining. At: https://wiki.inf.ufrgs.br/Previous_Projects_on_Computer_Graphics,_Visualization_and_Interaction

(Accessed on 26.10.15)• Figure 11. Deep sea mining (2011). At: http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/3240156.htm (Accessed on 26.10.15)• Figure 12. Fig.12 Mining equipment. At: http://www.minequip.com (Accessed on 26.10.15)• Figure 13. Marine Life (2013). At: http://www.safety4sea.com/marine-life-gets-drowned-out-as-oceans-get-noisier-17037 (Accessed

on 26.10.15)

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