what are called heavy metals, represented most 
importantly by gold. The program is handicapped 
by the sketchy nature of pertinent information 
derived as a by-product of studies directed towards 
other aspects of oceanography. It also is restrained 
by the need for more advanced and more reliable 
tools and techniques for ocean bottom sampling. 
A most urgent need is for research and develop- 
ment in delineating and evaluating marine mineral 
deposits. Most of the Bureau of Mines’ present 
effort is concentrated on (1) data collection and 
analysis and (2) sampling equipment and methods. 
In the former, liaison is being established to obtain 
from the oceanographic community data on 
known and potentially mineralized areas. 
Development of equipment and techniques to 
sample sea bottom mineral deposits will proceed 
much faster and more efficiently as a Government- 
industry partnership venture. Here, industry al- 
ready is a principal participant, and its involve- 
ment can be expected to increase. Figure 49 shows 
the R/V Virginia City, a Bureau of Mines research 
vessel. Once a naval ocean fleet tug, this vessel has 
been completely refitted by the Bureau of Mines 
Marine Minerals Technology Center for research 
on marine mineral problems. 
Figure 49. Bureau of Mines research vessel 
R/V Virginia City, shown operating off coast 
of Nome, Alaska. (Bureau of Mines photo) 
The recent Director of the Bureau of Mines, 
W.R. Hibbard, has identified several key prob- 
lems, examples of which are:'7 
17 Hibbard, W.R., “The Government’s Program for 
Encouraging the Development of a Marine Mining Indus- 
try,” MTS Transactions, Exploiting the Ocean, 1966, pp. 
202-203. 
VI-188 
Determining the topography and physical charac- 
ter of the sea floor.... Some of the existing 
geophysical tools such as—density probes, under- 
water cameras, and manned submersibles, will be 
utilized and, with modification, doubtless can be 
made more useful for mineral deposit delineation. 
But the precision that will be required in making 
these determinations, and the necessary measure- 
ment of additional properties such as particle size, 
hardness, and strength make it inevitable that new 
tools will have to be developed... . 
Research leading to efficient methods for breaking 
sea-bottom ores. . . [However] , the urgency of this 
problem cannot be determined now. It is probable 
that, for some time, attention will be directed 
principally to unconsolidated sediments. . . . 
[M]aterials handling, or the gathering and trans- 
porting of minerals from the ocean floor. As with 
fragmentation, details of the research that must be 
done will become clear as work progresses in the 
exploration and delineation phases of the pro- 
gram.... 
Research on the problems of waste disposal... . 
[U] nwise dumping of the tailings, if not carefully 
planned, cculd quickly foul a mining operation. 
Furthermore, the compatibility of a marine mining 
operation with exploitation of the other resources 
of the sea, particularly the food resources, will 
depend principally on the effectiveness of the 
tailings-disposal system. 
Ultimately, the bulk of the Bureau’s research in 
the marine minerals field should be concerned 
with the technology and economics of production. 
Now, however, the state-of-the-art and lack of 
adequate knowledge of the resources make it 
necessary that most of the effort be devoted to 
acquiring information that will enable defining the 
mining possibilities. 
H. Conclusions 
Ocean mining is a heterogeneous industry. It 
can be divided broadly into minerals found on the 
bottom and in the sub-bottom (within bedrock). 
Despite intense interest in ocean mining, most 
recent activities have been conceptual and explora- 
tory. In fact, not only is information on ocean 
floor mineral deposits sparse, but the tools and 
