This handbook summarizes the main advances in our understanding of marine minerals and concentrates on the deposits of proven economic potential. In cases where our knowledge may be too limited to allow defining of their economic potential, those minerals are covered regionally or by deposit type. Handbook of Marine Mineral Deposits is divided into three sections; Marine placers, manganese nodules and crusts, and deep-sea hydrothermal mineralization. All of these mineral deposits have great potential importance to economic geologists and marine mines. Edited by an acknowledged expert in the field, this handbook includes work by internationally renowned contributors. The new United Nations Law of the Sea, ratified by over 100 countries within the past two years, provides a framework and guidelines for deep-sea mineral exploration that increases international interest in this book. The Handbook serves as a platform from which to launch the more detailed evaluation studies that will need to take place in the 21st century before recovery can continue or commence. Handbook of Marine Mineral Deposits is useful to mineralogists, economic geologists, marine geologists, marine miners, and conservationists. Features

"Copper, zinc, gold and silver mineralizations exist on the deep ocean floor, at great depths, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between Jan Mayen and Spitsbergen. None of these mineralizations within Norwegian jurisdiction have been thoroughly investigated yet, but they are likely to contain significant amounts of minerals and metals crucial to society and the 'Green Shift'. Should these mineralizations, which contain minerals and metals that you and I use every day, be developed and mined? The question is premature: we need to know more before we can answer it. We need to know more about the formation, location and characteristics of these potential deposits, as well as the environmental, social and financial consequences of potential extraction. We need to evaluate mining alternatives and how to process the extracted ore. How should we answer this question? The ultimate decisions will be determined politically, and knowledge will be the defining factor. Knowledge gained from proper mineral resource management. Quantifying the Unknown sets out to estimate the amount of minerals and metals on the deep ocean floor along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, in particular, copper, zinc, gold and silver contained in so-called 'seafloor massive sulphide deposits'. These deposits are modern analogues of those mined worldwide on land today. The method used to quantify the amounts of these resources is known as 'play analysis'. It shares aspects of methodologies used on land for similar purposes and has been employed extensively to assess untapped petroleum resources on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Play analysis enables a quantification of the potential as well as associated uncertainty. The potential is large, but the uncertainty is also significant. Whether and how this potential is realized remains to be seen." This work was published by Saint Philip Street Press pursuant to a Creative Commons license permitting commercial use. All rights not granted by the work's license are retained by the author or authors.

The Mineral Resources of the Sea

This comprehensive book contains contributions from specialists who provide a complete status update along with outstanding issues encompassing different topics related to deep-sea mining. Interest in exploration and exploitation of deep-sea minerals is seeing a revival due to diminishing grades and increasing costs of processing of terrestrial minerals as well as availability of several strategic metals in seabed mineral resources; it therefore becomes imperative to take stock of various issues related to deep-sea mining. The authors are experienced scientists and engineers from around the globe developing advanced technologies for mining and metallurgical extraction as well as performing deep sea exploration for several decades. They invite readers to learn about the resource potential of different deep-sea minerals, design considerations and development of mining systems, and the potential environmental impacts of mining in international waters.

The past 20 years have seen extensive marine exploration work by the major industrialized countries. Studies have, in part, been concentrated on Pacific manganese nodule occurrences and on massive sulfides on mid-oceanic ridges. An international jurisdictional framework of the sea-bed mineral resources was negotiated by the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III). A most important outcome of this conference was the establishment of an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of at least 200 nautical miles for all coastal states and the recognition of a deep-sea regime.Mineral deposits in EEZ areas are fairly unknown; many areas need detailed mapping and mineral exploration, and the majority of coastal or island states with large EEZ areas have little experience in exploration for marine hard minerals. This book describes the systematic steps in marine mineral exploration. Such exploration requires knowledge of mineral deposits and models of their formation, of geophysical and geochemical exploration methods, and of data evaluation and interpretation methods. These topics are described in detail by an international group of authors. A short description is also given of marine research vessels, evaluation of marine exploration examples; and an overview is provided of the jurisdictional situation after UNCLOS III.

The book introduces essential concept of mineral exploration, mine evaluation and resource assessment of the discovered mineral deposit to students, beginners and professionals. The book is divided into nine chapters which will help the readers to incorporate the concepts of search for mineral deposits and understand the chances of success. The book discusses the fundamental details like composition of earth and mineral resources, formation of rock and mineral deposits, and the attempt to search for ore deposits to advance applications of remote sensing in mineral exploration. It also covers the details on how to conduct system of survey, evaluation, and how to arrive at a decision to open and carryout further exploration in the operating mine. The book shall be of great interest to geologists and mining community.

This volume discusses environmental issues associated with deep-sea mining, with an emphasis on potential impacts, their consequences and the policy perspectives. The book describes the methods and technologies to assess, monitor and mitigate mining impacts on marine environments, and also suggests various approaches for environmental management when conducting deep-sea mining. The volume brings together information and data for researchers, contractors, mining companies, regulators, and NGOs working in the field of deep-sea mining. Section 1 highlights the various environmental issues and discusses methods and approaches that can help in developing environmentally sustainable deep-sea mining. Section 2 details the results and outcomes of studies related to impact assessment of deep-sea mining, and proposes methods for monitoring. Section 3 discusses the need and means for developing data standards and their application to deep-sea mining. Section 4 discusses the policies, approaches, and practices related to deep-sea mining, suggests formats for developing environmental impact statements (EIS) and environmental management plans (EMP), and describes national and international regulations for environmental management. Section 5 concludes the text by putting deep-sea economic activities into an environmental context and conducting techno-economic analyses of deep-sea mining and processing.