Ch. 5— Mining and At-Sea Processing Technologies • 191 



Figure 5-16.— Technologies for Processing Offshore Mineral Ores 



Brines and muds 

 (complex sulfides 



and 

 salts of metals) 



Nodules, crusts, pavements 



veins and massive sulfides 



(oxides and sulfides of metals) 



Crusfiing 



Roasting 



Screening 



Grinding 



Classification 



fl 



Waste 



-^3 s^ 



Tin 



Ctiemical separation 



and 



purification 



\ 



'd=:2P 



Filtration 



Drying 



Copper, lead, zinc, nickel etc. 



Consolidated deposits of nodules, crusts, and massive sulfides require crusfiing and grinding 

 in addition to the screening required for brines and muds. Flotation is the primary technique 

 for separating oxides and sulfides of metals from w/aste material. These processes have not 

 yet been adapted for use offshore. 



SOURCE: Office of Technology Assessment, 1987, 



wave, and current conditions in the Red Sea are 

 not as severe as in the open ocean, these tests are 

 not conclusive regarding the sensitivity of flotation 

 methods to ship motion. Disposal of flotation re- 

 agents at sea may be a problem in some cases and 

 should be further investigated. 



Processing Consolidated and 

 Complex Mineral Ores 



Mineral deposits in this category include nod- 

 ules, crusts, veins, pavements, and massive depos- 

 its, as of metalliferous sulfides or oxides. Process- 



I 



