Estimates of Metals Contained in Abyssal Manganese Nodules and Ferromanganese Crusts in the Global Ocean Based on Regional Variations and Genetic Types of Nodules

Mizell, Kira; Hein, James R.; Au, Manda; Gartman, Amy

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-87982-2_3

Cited by 11 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…To gain a preliminary understanding of non-mineral marine resources that could be impacted by DSM, we analyzed environmental and human use variables that occur in prospective mineral occurrence regions (PMORs) for ferromanganese crusts and manganese nodules located in the U.S. EEZ (Mizell et al, 2022). We compiled broad-scale datasets of prominent environmental features (e.g., species distributions) and human uses (e.g., fisheries) within PMORs and then generated a normalized metric to score regions based on the co-occurrence of either environmental or human use variables.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…International development of critical minerals markets has already sparked the United States (U.S.) Government's interest in accessing critical minerals domestically (Presidential Executive Order 13953 2020; Nassar et al, 2020). Although the U.S. Government has not named seabed prospecting as a likely domestic minerals source, marine minerals are known or predicted to occur in the territorial seabed of individual nations, including the United States (Cronan, 1980;Mizell et al, 2022). The United States is not a signatory of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and therefore cannot currently obtain exploration contracts for DSM in the Area through the ISA.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Emerging information shows overlaps in the U.S. EEZ among the locations of prospective marine mineral occurrence, benthic and abyssal ecosystems and environmental features, and human uses. The U.S. Geological Survey has identified regions of prospective occurrences for ferromanganese crusts and nodules in the U.S. EEZ (Mizell et al, 2022), including the East and West Coasts, the Subarctic and Arctic regions around Alaska, the Hawaiian Islands, and the Pacific Island Territories. Little data exists to ground-truth ferromanganese crust and nodule occurrence and associated resource potential.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An initial spatial conflict analysis for potential deep-sea mining of marine minerals in U.S. Federal Waters

et al. 2023

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Demand for critical minerals is projected to double or even triple by 2030 as the global energy and transportation sectors transition away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy. This anticipated demand raises interest in new critical mineral resources, including marine minerals, to supplement future supplies. While the environmental benefits of transitioning to green energy are many, there are inherent environmental costs. In this study, we compiled broad-scale datasets of prominent environmental features and human uses within four deep ocean regions of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone where marine minerals are predicted to occur, called prospective regions: they are the Blake Plateau, the Hawaiian Islands, Offshore California, and the Gulf of Alaska. We generated a normalized metric to score regions based on the co-occurrence of either environmental or human use variables within hexagonal grid cells, allowing us to assess the occurrence intensity and spatial patterns of environmental and/or human use variables within each region. Driven by the presence of threatened species and total species richness, the Blake Plateau and the Hawaiian Islands have the highest environmental occurrence scores, followed by Offshore California and the Gulf of Alaska. Offshore California is the busiest shipping region, followed by the Blake Plateau, the Gulf of Alaska and Hawaiian Islands, and subsea cables are densest in Offshore California, followed by Gulf of Alaska and Hawaiian Islands. The Gulf of Alaska has the largest reported fisheries landings. The sensitivities of biota and human uses to mining are highest for benthic or sessile species and infrastructure on or near ferromanganese crusts or manganese nodules that would be directly and physically altered through crust extraction or nodule removal. This study illustrates the usefulness of comprehensive, spatially explicit risk assessments to inform deep sea mining management and minimize ecological harm and human use conflicts. We assert that the relatively straightforward GIS-based methodology tested here can be applied and iterated upon elsewhere.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An initial spatial conflict analysis for potential deep-sea mining of marine minerals in U.S. Federal Waters

et al. 2023

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“…macronutrients and trace elements (including rare elements, rare earth elements, and radioactive elements), such as Si, Al, Ca, Na, K, Mg, Mn, Fe, Cu, Co, Ni, Pb, Zn, Ti, P, Ba, Mo, Zr, Cr, Sr, As, U, Be, Pa, Th, V, Ce, and Nd. 85 The average composition of OMN in the area is shown in Table 1. 79,80 Their rich elemental assemblies are a source of metal minerals with great potential.…”

Section: Mineralogical Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Both physical and chemical methods can determine their physical phases (chemical phase analysis, 82 XRD rietveld full spectrum fitting refinement, 83 and Bgrimm Process Minerialogy Analyzing SBPMA process mineralogy parameter quantitative analysis system 84 ) and metal ion content (X‐ray diffraction 13 or selective dissolution method 62 ). According to statistics, there are dozens of its macronutrients and trace elements (including rare elements, rare earth elements, and radioactive elements), such as Si, Al, Ca, Na, K, Mg, Mn, Fe, Cu, Co, Ni, Pb, Zn, Ti, P, Ba, Mo, Zr, Cr, Sr, As, U, Be, Pa, Th, V, Ce, and Nd 85 . The average composition of OMN in the area is shown in Table 1 79,80 .…”

Section: Progress and Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bioleaching of oceanic manganese nodules: Current progress and future prospects

Xue

Feng

et al. 2023

Asia-Pacific J Chem Eng

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The extraction of manganese elements and other strategic elements from oceanic manganese nodules has become a strategic decision to ensure the security of global metal resources and the high‐quality green development of metal resource processing and metallurgy industry due to the gradual depletion of high‐quality terrestrial metal resources and the increase of difficult‐to‐select and difficult‐to‐smelt deposits. In order to achieve the enrichment and separation of diverse elements within oceanic manganese nodules, it is imperative to initiate chemical reactions that facilitate the breakdown of complex oxides, particularly manganese dioxide. Bioleaching is a viable treatment option for oceanic manganese nodules with low operating costs and environmental damage. However, the mechanism of oceanic manganese nodules bioleaching is not fully studied, and the prospect of technology development is uncertain. We have reviewed five influencing factors on bioleaching of oceanic manganese nodules: mineralogical characteristics, chemical reaction equilibrium, thermodynamic characteristics, microbial properties, and operational variables. It then makes new development recommendations and technological system suggestions for the future improvement of oceanic manganese nodule bioleaching, primarily focusing on the development of new technologies for challenging to select and difficult to smelt ores, the practicality of strategic energy metal development, the cell design and its materials revolution, environmental protection and management, and all‐round resource utilization. Solving the above critical technical issues will boost the high‐quality development of metal industry and environmental protection.

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Approach Towards Deep-Sea Mining: Current Status and Future Prospects

Sharma

2022

Perspectives on Deep-Sea Mining

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Estimates of Metals Contained in Abyssal Manganese Nodules and Ferromanganese Crusts in the Global Ocean Based on Regional Variations and Genetic Types of Nodules

Cited by 11 publications

References 53 publications

An initial spatial conflict analysis for potential deep-sea mining of marine minerals in U.S. Federal Waters

An initial spatial conflict analysis for potential deep-sea mining of marine minerals in U.S. Federal Waters

Bioleaching of oceanic manganese nodules: Current progress and future prospects

Approach Towards Deep-Sea Mining: Current Status and Future Prospects

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