Development Methods and Technologies Used in Deep-Sea Mining

Dear Colleagues,

With the increasing demand of critical metals for green energy alternatives, as well as for supporting industrialized human society and sustainable development, interest in deep-sea mining for ferromanganese nodules, cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts, seafloor massive sulfides, and rare-earth element-rich muds, has grown over the last 50 years. Although, due to certain economic and technical difficulties, commercial deep-sea mining has not been realized as yet, several research groups as well as private enterprises have become involved in the methods and technologies used in deep-sea mining. In the field of exploration in deep-sea mining, relatively new approaches were proposed for analyzing bulk data to quantify the best site for mining. While research on developing prototypes for deep-sea mining technology is underway, innovative techniques in robotics improved the possibility of deep-sea mining. Similarly, although several routes in metallurgical processing have been developed, an environmentally friendly method has yet to be established. In the field of environmental monitoring and the preservation of deep-sea ecosystem in deep-sea mining, studies on establishing baseline conditions were initiated, and small-scale experiments to predict potential impacts due to deep-sea mining were conducted, but the impacts of large-scale mining and ecosystem functioning are not yet understood.

Dr. Tetsuo Yamazaki
Dr. Sup Hong
Guest Editors

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