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is to drag a chain "dredge" with a one meter opening along the bottom. The 

 nodules brought up are assayed and measured ; mineral quantities and values 

 are determined by combining these figures with results obtained by studying 

 photographs of the bottom. 



In all geological work and sampling, there is a continuing requirement for 

 precise navigation. It is necessary to know exactly where the survey lines were 

 run and the samples taken so these can be made into accurate charts. Often 

 the operations will off low, uninhabited, hazy coasts where there are no 

 clearly identifiable landmarks or usable navigational features. Moreover, since 

 these surveys may extend twenty or more miles offshore, well beyond the range 

 of optical instruments, electronic navigational aids are required. Those most 

 generally used are Decca Hi-Fix (hyperbolic mode), Raydist, Shoran, and 

 Decca radar with transponders. Each of these has its own idiosyncrasies and 

 only rarely do they perform as well or with the accuracy that the manufacturer 

 declares ; but with skill and persistence they can be kept operating and acceptably 

 repeatable results can be obtained. Of course, all require that the position of 

 reference points ashore be precisely known and this may require the offshore 

 prospector to do a substantial amount of onshore surveying. 



It is hoped that in the next few years some sufficiently precise worldwide 

 positioning system will be developed. For example, the Transit satellite system 

 with a projected accuracy of 100 meters may become generally available. 



Undersea prospecting for minerals is plainly a complicated, expensive business 

 where the risk is great and the rewards are unknown. It requires talented men 

 who are well equipped and very determined. With perseverence they will build 

 a great undersea mining industry. 



STATEMENT OF WILLARD BASCOM, PRESIDENT, OCEAN SCIENCE 

 & ENGINEERING, INC., WASHINGTON, D.C. 



Mr. Bascom. I think Dr. James' statement ^Yas a very fair and 

 sensible statement of the whole business. 



Mr. Fascell. And very succinct. 



Mr. Bascom. I thought what he said was very sound. I think it is 

 best if I start by telling you about our company and its position in 

 the undersea mineral business. 



About 5 years ago — we are a new company not much older than 

 that — we became involved with the DeBeers Corp. of Southern Africa 

 in prospecting for diamonds along the coasts of South and South- 

 West Africa. Under contract to them and several other concessionaires 

 out there, our company eventually explored a coastline about 600 miles 

 long in great detail. Although the occurrence of diamonds there was 

 well known, in fact they were being mined, the position of the deposits 

 was not at all clear nor were the reasons why they occur where they 

 do ; it was all very vague. We determined approximate boundaries of 

 the ore deposits out there by using geophysical methods and sampling 

 them with a large drilling machine ; namely, a ship called the Roch- 

 eater^ which processed the samples on board and determined on the 

 spot whether or not there were diamonds present so the geologists 

 aboard could determine where the next set of holes could be drilled. 



Mr. Fascell. I can read the lead line right now if you will permit 

 me, Mr. Bascom : ''''Rod'eater Chews Bascom's Bed." 



Mr. Bascom. Anyway, our problem in that particular area was that 

 although our company did some very nice geophysical and mining 

 sampling work and found a lot of diamonds we did not own the 

 deposits and we thought, never again. Next time we will own the 

 mining property and work for ourselves. 



We had, however, established a good relationship with the DeBeers 

 Corp. and when that particular job was completed as far as we were 



