Marine Science Affairs 



seafloor sediment were processed in shipboard laboratory facilities. Results 

 indicate that relatively rapid penetration of the shallow ocean floor sedi- 

 ments can be accomplished from surface ships yielding characteristic sam- 

 ples which can be processed and analyzed aboard ship. In operation, a hole 

 could be drilled and complete sample analyses made available within six 

 hours. 



Table VII-2 describes current worldwide marine mining activity. 



Table VII-2 — Recent Marine Mining Activities 



Resource 



Activity ■ 



Depth (feet)" 



Location 



Aragonite Dredging . . . 



Diamonds Dredging . . . 



Gold Exploration . 



Exploration. 

 Heavy metals Exploration . 



Exploration. 



Exploration . 



Iron Exploration . 



Iron sands Dredging. . . 



Exploration . 



150(?) 

 600- 

 600- 

 200- 

 600- 

 600- 

 600- 

 600- 

 30- 

 600- 



Manganese Exploration 600-2, 400 



Manganese nodules .... Exploration 12, 000 ± 



Exploration 12, 000+ 



Phosphate Exploration (?) 



Exploration 600-2, 



Exploration 



Exploration (in- 

 active) . 



Exploration 



Phosphate sands Exploration 



Exploration 



Sand Dredging 



Shell sands Dredging 



Shells Dredging 



Sulfide muds Exploration 



Sulfur Mining (Frasch) . 



Tin Exploration 



Dredging 



Exploration 



Dredging 



Exploration 



Exploration 



Titanium Exploration 



400 



(?) 

 600 ± 



600- 

 600- 

 600- 

 300- 

 150± 



30 ± 

 000 ± 



60 ± 

 600- 

 150- 

 600- 

 150- 

 600- 

 600- 

 600- 



Bahamas. 



Southwest Alrica. 



Philippines. 



Alaska. 



Australia. 



New Zealand. 



Tasmania. 



Philippines. 



Japan. 



Papua and New 



Guinea. 

 Blake Plateau. 

 Canada (B.C.). 

 Pacific Ocean. 

 Union of South 



Africa. 

 Blake Plateau. 

 India. 

 California. 



Australia. 



Mexico. 



North Carolina. 



New England. 



Iceland. 



California. 



Red Sea. 



Louisiana. 



Borneo. 



Indonesia. 



Malaysia. 



Thailand. 



Great Britain. 



Solomon Islands. 



Philippines. 



<> Dredging operations generally include exploration activity. Does not include mines originating on 

 land and drilled out under the sea floor. 



» Less than is represented by — ; more than is represented by +; approximately is represented by ±. 



Source: Department of the Interior. 



108 



