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2010, Oceanography 23(1):184–189, http://dx.doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2010.70
Seamount Mineral Deposits: A Source of Rare Metals
for High-Technology Industries
Authors | Abstract | Full Article | Citation
Authors
James R. Hein | US Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA, USA
Tracey A. Conrad | US Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA, USA
Hubert Staudigel | Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
Abstract
The near exponential growth in Earth's population and the global economy puts increasing constraints on our planet's finite supply of natural metal resources, and, consequently, there is an increasing need for new sources to supply high-tech industries. To date, effectively all of our raw-metal resources are produced at land-based sites. Except for nearshore placer deposits, the marine environment has been largely excluded from metal mining due to technological difficulties, even though it covers more than 70% of the planet. The case can be made that deep-water seabed mining is inevitable in the future, owing to the critical and strategic metal needs for human society. In this paper, we evaluate the case that seamounts offer significant potential for mining.
Full Article
Citation
Hein, J.R., T.A. Conrad, and H. Staudigel. 2010. Seamount mineral deposits: A source of rare metals for high-technology industries. Oceanography 23(1):184–189, http://dx.doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2010.70.