44 
estimate. Cobalt and minor metals are quite variable in nodules, and 
have relatively high concentrations in some deposits. Production of 
cobalt and other minor metals could be higher than the U.N. estimates 
in Table 9. 
TABLE 9.—MANGANESE, NICKEL, COPPER, AND COBALT: PROBABLE PRODUCTION FROM NODULES, ESTIMATED 
WORLD DEMAND AND ESTIMATED NET IMPORT REQUIREMENT OF INDUSTRIAL COUNTRIES IN 1985 
[Thousand metric tons] 
Production from 
nodules as a 
Estimated percentage of 
Production from net import net import 
Probable Estimated nodules as a requirement requirement of 
production world percentage of of industrial industrial 
from nodules demand world demand countries ! countries 
Manganese 2________________ 920 16, 400 6.0 7, 300 13. 0 
Nickel ges a8 ht) ies oie 220 1, 220 18.0 710 26. 0 
Cop pense ee oe 200 14, 900 1.3 3 3,600 5. 5 
Cobaltstes= Sie ia 30 3 60 50. 0 NA 
1 Assuming that net import requirements would be proportionately the same as in 1972. 
2 Manganese recovery is assumed from only 4 million tons of nodules. 
3 Excluding the centrally planned economies. 
Source: United Nations, A/CONF.62/25, op. cit., p. 42. 
A working paper on the economic effects of deep seabed exploitation 
was submitted in 1974 by the United States delegation to the law of 
the Sea Conference in Caracas. This paper pointed out the interests of 
all consumers in encouraging seabed output and the unlikelihood that 
the income of existing producers would decrease even with seabed 
production. In some respects, this paper was a rebuttal to a few of the 
projections made in the recent economic report of the U.N. Secretary- 
General.*° The U.S. working paper tabulated the approximate values 
of mineral production from each country and projected these to 1980 
and 1985 (‘Tables 10 and 11). Production from seabed mining was also 
estimated for 1980 and 1985. Particular reference is made to the 
production from developing countries (Group of 77) which have 
expressed great concern for the possible loss of export revenues and 
have taken a firm position at the Law of the Sea Conference for 
complete U.N. control of seabed mining. An important point high- 
lighted in Table 11 is that the projected income of individual land- 
based producers from their production of the four metals will increase 
significantly between the present and 1985, even with seabed mining. 
26 United Nations, A/CONF. 62/25, op. cit., 92 p. 
