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equipment has been engineered to the point where we believe it en- 
tirely practical to construct it and to operate it. 
It is not Mickey Mouse or Buck Rogers hardware. 
This photo shows an experiment, currently being performed, pump- 
ing in depths of 700 to 800 feet at a place called Galax, Va. This 
system uses air instead of a centrifugal pump to move the material. 
The airlift principle is where air is inject ed into the pipe and the ex- 
panding bubbles cause the column to move. 
This experiment is progressing satisfactorily and we will soon be 
in a position to decide which of these techniques should be used for 
pumping the material. 
It has been a pleasure to bring you this brief outline of our opera- 
tion and I would be delighted to answer your questions if I am able. 
Mr. Lennon. Thank you for a really fascinating projection of what 
we hope will be a potentially economic benefit in the field of ocean 
mining. 
The gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Goodling. 
Mr. Gooptrne. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 
I first of all apologize for not being too faithful in my attendance 
here. There doesn’t seem to be enough days of the week anymore. I 
was wondering how this committee is associated with this work. 
Mr. Lunnon. It is associated with it to the degree that we are in- 
volved in the ocean science and engineering as well as in oceanology 
and oceanography. 
As the gentlem: an will recall, having read I am sure the Stratton 
Commission’s report, they go into the economic benefits that can be 
derived from the explorati ion and exploitation of the ocean resources, 
including mining of the ocean floor. 
We are involved, hopefully we are, and we intend to be anyhow, 
I assure the gentlem: in. 
Mr. Gooprine. That, is all. 
Mr. Lennon. Mr. Downing. 
Mr. Downrne. I would just like to re-echo my chairman’s observa- 
tion that this is fascinating to see an active operation in ocean mining 
and, my friend Mr. Goodling from Een an this is the first 
presentation where we have seen something actually in being. These 
people are out there and dredging these manganese nodules. Inciden- 
tally, have you seen some of those nodules? 
Mr. Gooptine. No; I haven’t. 
Mr. Downtna. Take one back to the office. 
I had certain questions which came to my mind during the presen- 
tation. Is there any reason for these metals being in specific areas? 
Are we able to understand why they are in certain areas and not in 
other areas? 
Mr. Furesr. Yes; the environment needed for the formation is 
quite specific. It must be an oxidizing environment. There must be 
ho sediments there. There must be water movement, at least some 
current movement, and so on; and so areas adjacent to the coasts of 
most of the nations are barren because of the sediment that come 
from the land. 
There is, Mr. Downing, a large area of study involved here but 
the fundamentals of the environment and why they form are under- 
stood. Just how they form and so on is not understood. It is an area 
of continuing research. 
