76 • Marine Minerals: Exploring Our New Ocean Frontier 



Figure 2-14.— Potential IHard Mineral Resources of U.S. Insular Territories West of Hawaii 



SOURCES: Office of Technology Assessment, 1987; U.S. Department of the Interior, "Symposium Proceedings— A National Program for the Assessment and Develop- 

 ment of the Mineral Resources of the United States Exclusive Economic Zone," U.S. Geological Survey Circular 929, 1983. 



The prime area considered for commercial re- 

 covery of nodules in die Pacific lies in international 

 waters between the Clarion and Clipperton frac- 

 ture zones in the mid-Pacific ocean. However, sev- 

 eral other smaller areas may contain suitable mine 

 sites, for example, southwest of Hawaii. A mine 

 site should have an average grade of about 2.25 per- 

 cent copper plus nickel with 20 pounds of nodules 



per square yard to be commercially interesting. Be- 

 cause of uncertainties brought about by the United 

 Nations Law of the Sea Convention in regard to 

 mining in international waters, and because of the 

 low price of copper on the world market, the re- 

 covery of nodules from the Clarion-Clipperton re- 

 gion is not attractive at this time. 



