Technological challenges for manganese nodule mining

Abstract

The major technological challenges of deep-sea mining venture involve delineation of mine site and development of mining technology to bring out the minerals from extreme conditions (more than 5 km water depth, 0-3 degrees C temperature and 500 bars pressure). A shelf-propelled remotely controlled collector at the end of the riser pipe may prove more efficient than a towed collector to collect 3 million tonnes of nodules annually, at 10,000 tonnes per day for 300 active days of mining. Development of an environmentally 'safe' mining system that would cause least possible damage through disturbance at the seabed, discharge at the surface and in the water column is another important consideration from conservation point of view. Collectors with a facility for crushing and filtering of nodule particles to a particular size may reduce much of the waste material from being carried and discharged at the surface. Besides delineation of mine site and development of mining technology, other aspects which need to be organised simultaneously are facilities for ship building and docking; ore transfer, transport, processing and efficient waste disposal. The success of such a large scale operation also depends on close cooperation between industry and research organisations, as well as guaranteed financial support from governmental agencies for an overall development of mineral resources