production was close to $2 billion; since 1953, Federal revenues from offshore 

 petroleum operations have exceeded $6 billion. Salt and sulphur are also 

 being exploited from deposits beneath the Outer Continental Shelf, and the 

 potential for production of other mineral commodities is favorable. 



Metalliferous muds found in depressions on the floor of the Red Sea 

 by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution scientists in 1965 have been the 

 object of repeated investigations. During 1971, studies were undertaken by 

 a German combine and by scientists from Woods Hole and USGS. Results 

 indicate greater thickness of the deposits than originally suggested and con- 

 firm earlier estimates of copper, zinc, silver, gold, and lead deposits, most of 

 which may be recoverable if efficient mining techniques can be developed. 



Of the identified potential mineral resources, the manganese nodules 

 which cover vast areas of the deep ocean floor have attracted greatest interest 

 because some deposits appear to contain large amounts of associated nickel, 

 copper, and cobalt. Reports presented at a recent conference at Columbia 

 University's Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory included industry 

 plans for the construction of prototype mining ships to test the economic 

 feasibility of deep-sea mining and preliminary results of studies to determine 

 environmental impact of planned operations. 



In addition to the associated minerals, the sediments and rocks of the sea 

 floor form the foundation for many species of marine life and for manmade 

 structures. As on land, the foundation conditions may be stable or unstable 

 and hazardous. 



The USGS marine program emphasizes investigations, mapping, and 

 analysis of the sea-floor geologic environment to aid in planning the most 

 efficient use of the public lands; to outline and evaluate areas of potential 

 mineral and energy resources, both regionally as part of the national 

 resource inventory and locally in support of leasing operations conducted by 

 the Bureau of Land Management ; to delineate geologically hazardous areas 

 where development may be detrimental or require special precautions; and to 

 obtain knowledge of sea-floor processes and conditions that can be applied to 

 the search for new mineral sources, such as unexploited deposits of sand. 



In response to the President's intention to accelerate lease sales, studies 

 will be made to delineate areas of the Outer Continental Shelf that have 

 potential for petroleum resources. Existing geologic, geophysical, and en- 

 gineering data are being acquired and synthesized to outline prospective re- 

 source areas. During 1972, a cooperative effort of the USGS and NOAA 

 will begin field studies on parts of the Atlantic and south Alaska continental 

 margins to obtain data for these areas not now available. The mapping effort 

 associated with this work is described in chapter IV. 



In a cooperative program of USGS and the States of Massachusetts and 

 Maine, preliminary maps on bedrock geology and the distribution of sea- 

 floor sediments, including deposits of sand and gravel, have been completed. 

 Duke University scientists, under a USGS research contract, have compiled 

 offshore data needed for a general land-sea geology map of the Cape 

 Lookout region of North Carolina. 



Within the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea region, geologists, geo- 

 chemists, and other scientists of the USGS are currently engaged in the 

 interpretation, analysis, and preparation of reports for samples and data 



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