Investigating Deep Sea Mineral Nodule Mining Strategies and Equipment

With the current focus on energy storage and replacement of fossil fuel driven vehicles with alternative power sources, a future shortage of global precious and important minerals has been recognised. This has led to the beginning of a new minerals rush with alternative sources or sources that were felt previously considered un-economical being investigated in more detail. One such mineral source that has been known about for some time is the presence of deep see mineral nodules and layers. These resources have not been commercially exploited before due to the significant technical challenges involved with their removal (occurrence in water depth from 3500-6500m). Many countries have been let investigation areas but currently the technologies do not exist to economically mine the surface nodules that sit in particularly low shear strength sediments.