Deep-Sea Mining

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-x

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2. Deep-Sea Minerals: Distribution Characteristics and Their Resource Potential

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

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   2. Deep-Sea Mining: Current Status and Future Considerations

      • Rahul Sharma

      Pages 3-21

   3. Composition, Formation, and Occurrence of Polymetallic Nodules

      • T. Kuhn, A. Wegorzewski, C. Rühlemann, A. Vink

      Pages 23-63

   4. Marine Co-Rich Ferromanganese Crust Deposits: Description and Formation, Occurrences and Distribution, Estimated World-wide Resources

      • Peter E. Halbach, Andreas Jahn, Georgy Cherkashov

      Pages 65-141

   5. Seafloor Massive Sulfide Deposits: Distribution and Prospecting

      • Georgy Cherkashov

      Pages 143-164

   6. Submarine Phosphorites: The Deposits of the Chatham Rise, New Zealand, off Namibia and Baja California, Mexico—Origin, Exploration, Mining, and Environmental Issues

      • Hermann Kudrass, Ray Wood, Robin Falconer

      Pages 165-187

   7. Predictive Mapping of the Nodule Abundance and Mineral Resource Estimation in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone Using Artificial Neural Networks and Classical Geostatistical Methods

      • Andreas Knobloch, Thomas Kuhn, Carsten Rühlemann, Thomas Hertwig, Karl-Otto Zeissler, Silke Noack

      Pages 189-212

   8. Statistical Properties of Distribution of Manganese Nodules in Indian and Pacific Oceans and Their Applications in Assessing Commonality Levels and in Exploration Planning

      • T. R. P. Singh, M. Sudhakar

      Pages 213-228

   9. Assessment of Distribution Characteristics of Polymetallic Nodules and Their Implications on Deep-Sea Mining

      • Rahul Sharma

      Pages 229-256

3. Deep-Sea Mining Technology: Concepts and Applications

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 257-257

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   2. Fundamental Geotechnical Considerations for Design of Deep-Sea Mining Systems

      • Tetsuo Yamazaki

      Pages 259-304

   3. Concepts of Deep-Sea Mining Technologies

      • M. A. Atmanand, G. A. Ramadass

      Pages 305-343

   4. An Application of Ocean Mining Technology: Deep Ocean Water Utilization

      • Koji Otsuka, Kazuyuki Ouchi

      Pages 345-362

4. Metallurgical Processing and Their Sustainable Development

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 363-363

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   2. Metallurgical Processing of Polymetallic Ocean Nodules

      • R. P. Das, S. Anand

      Pages 365-394

   3. Sustainable Processing of Deep-Sea Polymetallic Nodules

      • P. K. Sen

      Pages 395-422

   4. Sustainable Development and Its Application to Mine Tailings of Deep Sea Minerals

      • John C. Wiltshire

      Pages 423-441

5. Environmental Concerns of Impact of Deep-Sea Mining

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 443-443

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   2. Recent Developments in Environmental Impact Assessment with Regard to Mining of Deep-Sea Mineral Resources

      • Y. Shirayama, H. Itoh, T. Fukushima

      Pages 445-463

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.

• marine mineral deposits
• metallurgical processing
• environmental impact assessment
• polymetallic nodules
• seafloor sulfide deposits
• cobalt-rich manganese crusts
• benthic biodiversity
• rare earth metals
• deep sea mining
• mineral resources
• marine and freshwater sciences

• National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, India

  Rahul Sharma

Dr. Rahul Sharma is a Chief Scientist at the National Institute of Oceanography in Goa, India. He received his PhD in Marine Science from Goa University in 1997. His research interests include development of underwater photography for deep-sea exploration, environmental impact assessment for deep-sea mining, and application of environmental data for deep-sea mining and environmental conservation.

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