Article
Engineering, Environmental
Benjamin Fritz, Pia Heidak, Juergen Vasters, Thomas Kuhn, Gudrun Franken, Mario Schmidt
Summary: At the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27), France proposed a ban on deep sea mining. A study compared the climate impact of metal production from manganese nodules with land-based mining. The research found that producing metals from manganese nodules could have a lower or higher impact on climate change depending on the input data and methodological choices.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
R. A. F. Alvarenga, N. Preat, C. Duhayon, J. Dewulf
Summary: Sustainable metal supply is crucial for achieving climate and sustainability goals. The exploitation of deep-sea polymetallic nodules has the potential to contribute significantly to this supply. A life cycle assessment (LCA) comparing deep-sea-sourced commodities to terrestrial mining products found that the former can bring environmental gains of up to 38% for climate change and 72% for acidification. Strategic selection of onshore processing location is important for cleaner production. However, the results should be interpreted with caution due to limitations of the LCA study.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Pavel Novak, Nguyen Hong Vu, Lucie Sulcova, Jaromir Kopecek, Frantisek Laufek, Alisa Tsepeleva, Petr Dvorak, Alena Michalcova
Summary: This study introduces an innovative processing route for manganese deep-sea nodules, resulting in new grades of complexly alloyed manganese-based natural alloys. Different levels of aluminum were used in the aluminothermic reduction, leading to significant differences in phase composition and high wear resistance. However, the low-aluminum alloy is prone to local thermal cracking during friction.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Akira Tsune
Summary: Manganese (polymetallic) nodules on the deep seafloor in the open ocean have attracted great interest for their economic potential. The increase of visual data on nodules and attempts to quantitatively elucidate relations among burial degree and nodule geological parameters contribute to a better understanding of the geological origin of manganese nodules. However, the burial of such nodules still needs further research and quantitative expression.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Klara Borkovcova, Pavel Novak
Summary: This work investigated the possibility of direct aluminum alloy preparation from deep-sea nodules through aluminothermic reduction. The study found that aluminum alloy could not be obtained, but an aluminum-rich manganese-based alloy was instead obtained. The alloy was characterized and treated, and the mechanical properties and wear resistance of the samples were described.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yunhao Li, Yali Feng, Haoran Li, Yisong Yao, Chenglong Xu, Jinrong Ju, Ruiyu Ma, Haoyu Wang, Shiwei Jiang
Summary: Deep-sea mining poses a serious threat to marine ecosystems and human health by disturbing sediment and transmitting metal ions through the food chain. This study developed a new regenerative adsorption material, OMN@SA, which effectively removes metal ions. The adsorption mechanism and performance of the material for metal ion fixation were investigated.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Oceanography
Bart De Smet, Erik Simon-Lledo, Lisa Mevenkamp, Ellen Pape, Francesca Pasotti, Daniel O. B. Jones, Ann Vanreusel
Summary: Polymetallic nodules provide habitat heterogeneity and valuable minerals in abyssal benthic ecosystems. This study analyzed megabenthic community data from two physically similar areas in the CCZ, highlighting a positive relationship between nodule coverage and megafauna abundance. Mining activities in the future may impact faunal communities, particularly long-lived megafaunal assemblages, but more data are needed to fully understand the potential effects.
DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART I-OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPERS
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Mun Gi Kim, Kiseong Hyeong, Chan Min Yoo, Ji Yeong Lee, Inah Seo
Summary: The study reports the element compositions of fine particles produced by experimental degradation of polymetallic nodules, revealing enrichment in elements such as Al, K, and Fe, and depletion in elements like Mn, Co, and Ni. The findings suggest a significant contribution of sediment particles released from the pores and cracks of nodules to the composition of fines, with potential differences based on the minimum recovery size of particles.
Article
Environmental Studies
Jonathon W. Moses, Anne Margrethe Brigham
Summary: This article critically evaluates the International Seabed Authority's management of Deep Sea Mining activities, highlighting the need for strategic ownership and a better balance of institutional power. Recommendations include developing explicit policies to protect public interests, actively managing access to resources, and discussing the just distribution of wealth generated by these resources.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Caroline Silva de Matos, Mariana Benites, Luigi Jovane, Carina Ulsen
Summary: This study characterizes the FeMn crusts of the Rio Grande Rise in the southwest Atlantic Ocean and demonstrates that they are composed of manganese oxides, iron oxyhydroxides, magnesian calcite, and carbonate fluorapatite. The results show that regions with thicker crust layers have a higher content of critical elements.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY-JMR&T
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Tao Chen, Xiaoxiong Zheng, Ruiqing Niu, Antonio Plaza
Summary: This article proposes a hybrid open-pit mining mapping framework that utilizes high-resolution satellite images and an improved neural network to improve the accuracy of mapping open-pit mining areas. By comparing with other methods, the framework demonstrates better performance in various accuracy metrics.
IEEE JOURNAL OF SELECTED TOPICS IN APPLIED EARTH OBSERVATIONS AND REMOTE SENSING
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Eva Paulus
Summary: The deep sea is one of the most biodiverse habitats on Earth, but is facing threats from human activities. Despite many mysteries remaining, there are challenges such as overfishing and environmental degradation that must be addressed to protect biodiversity in the deep sea.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Junling Hou, Chuiyu Li, Lin Yuan, Junbin Li, Fei Liu
Summary: Due to the depletion of shallow mineral resources, mines are now transitioning to deep mining. This study focuses on the green filling mining technology and application of a specific working face in Xieqiao coal mine. By selecting appropriate filling materials and designing a filling pipeline system, the stability of the surrounding rock in the goaf was effectively controlled. The results of this study have significant implications for the safe, efficient, and green mining of deep coal resources.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Rongyao Wang, Guoming Chen, Nan Zhang, Haoran Zhang
Summary: Storms pose a significant threat to deep-sea mining activities, requiring extensive preparations and potential evacuations with hung-off risers. This study analyzes the evacuation process with hung-off risers, examining the mechanical properties and operational parameters involved. The research also optimizes evacuation routes using an improved A* algorithm and analyzes the factors influencing evacuation operations. The findings provide valuable guidance for storm avoidance decisions in deep-sea mining and enhance the safety of mining systems during evacuations.
Article
Environmental Studies
Tara Howse
Summary: This paper examines the concept of trust and the factors that can facilitate or erode trust in the context of a social licence to operate. It emphasizes the importance of addressing power imbalances and inequities in order to establish generalized trust and proposes a definition of trust that aligns with the intention of a social licence to operate.