Download Marine Mineral Resources

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Marine Mineral Resources Potential and Limits
Dr. Christian Reichert, BGR
Dr. Michael Wiedicke-Hombach and MMR-Team, BGR
Mineral Resources of the Deep Sea (MMR)
water depth
Mn-Nodules
(Ni, Cu, Co, Mo,
possibly REE)
4.000 – 6.000 m
Cobalt-enriched Crusts
(Co, Ni, Pt, Te)
Massive-Sulfides
(Cu, Zn, Pb, Au)
1.000 – 2.500 m
1.000 – 3.000 m
MMR occurrences
Deep Ocean Basins(Mn-nodules)
Seamounts (West-Pacific) (crusts)
Mid-ocean Ridges(sulfides)
trends of metal prices
10
LMR prices, Dec.2011
copper
Kupfer
8
nickel
Nickel
cobalt
Kobalt
financial crisis
manganese 2,970 $/t
Mangan
7,567 $/t
18,149 $/t
32.1 $/kg
6
4
2
BGR
0
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
Mn nodules: potential ore deposits
Mexico
Hawaii
German license areas
….. at the seafloor
4.400 m
5 cm
Wiedicke-Hombach
Mn nodules: chemical composition
Cu 1.3%
Ni 1.4%
Co 0.3%
Valuable ore :
Mn 31,2%
ca. 3 %
Ni, Cu, and Co;
and Mn
Trace metals of interest:
Fe 6,2%
15,0%
Mg, Na,
Al, Si
44.0%
hydroxidecompound
- Molybdenum (0,06%)
- Heavy Rare Earth
Elements(REE)
Wiedicke
environment aspects
impacts:
production platform
cargo vessel
suspension cloud
size of affected area
production pipe
with pump system
suspension cloud
reduction of hard substrate
Mn nodule
collector
biodiversity
Mn nodules
4.000 – 5.500 m
TUSCH Environment Impact Experiment:
relative recovery ~ 7 J.
Japan (Kajitani, 1997) :
suspension cloud 1-2 km
Mining area: patch work
suspension cloud
sea floor
development of
sustainable
mining approach
example nodule exploration: necessary work
exploration
sampling, surveying, high-resolution!
BIONOD 2012.
environment studies ….. EIA
mining system (collector test)
extraction methods (metallurgy)
2012
2006
2011
2016
2021
marine sulfides
BGR pilot study for possible license application
(since 2011)
Map: Wikipedia
marine vs. terrestrial mining
smaller mobile
mining infrastructure
minimal
coverage/stripping
smaller CO2
emissions
… modified after
D. Heydon
lesser societal
effects
increased
operational safety
lesser mining waste
nodules
2001
UNCLOS PART XII
PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION
OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT
Environmental Management Plan for the
Clarion-Clipperton Zone (EMP)
UNCLOS & mineral exploration
 Certificate of sponsoring state
(=> responsible partner)
 Concept of “reserved areas”
(=> return 50% before contracting)
 Fees or joint venture
(=> involve ISA in profits)
 Know-how transfer
Common heritage
of mankind
(=> make technology available)
 Training (plan for ISA trainees)
 Environmental protection (UNCLOS PART XII)
(=> monitoring, and no serious threat or damage)
Thank You
for your attention