}Si 



Basic Dredge Types for Marine Mining 



Source : G. T. Coene, "Recovery of Ocean Resources," Ocean Industry, November 1968, p. 55. 



• High-capacity, low-cost vertical transport 

 systems 



• High capacity equipment for horizontal 

 transfer between sea surface platforms. 



Such technological developments will be 

 very costly. Nevertheless, it is anticipated 

 that industry will wish to develop mineral 

 recovery systems in situations where the risks 

 of achieving an acceptable rate of returns are 

 not excessive. The Commission's recommen- 

 dations will not preclude industry from un- 

 dertaking this task; on the contrary, they 

 will encourage industry to do so. 



Just as reconnaissance scale mapping by 

 the Government will encourage industry to 

 follow with more detailed delineation of de- 

 posits, so also Government support of basic 

 marine engineering knowledge will encour- 



age industry to follow with investment of 

 its own in developing operational mining 

 hardware to recover the resources. 



Examples of typical basic engineering 

 needs of deep ocean mining include : 



• Sufficient power to lift thousands of tons 

 of minerals from great depths 



• Ultrahigh-strength, corrosion-resistant 

 hoisting cables capable of withstanding 

 cyclic stresses 



• Long, flexible pipes for deep water that 

 can withstand the bending and sliearing 

 stresses 



• The ability to provide for the simulta- 

 neous flow of solids, liquids, and gases 

 through long pipes. 



Development of tools for more rapid geo- 

 physical exploration and improved deposit 



