Mapping the way 

 To a buried treasure 



The problem: information needed about the 

 valuable minerals that lie buried on the continen- 

 tal shelf and how to extract them safely 



Much of our nation's wealth of fuels and minerals lies 

 buried under ground and water on the continental shelf. 

 The search for these treasures has already posed tough 

 questions about how they can be tapped without severely 

 disrupting the productivity and quality of coastal 

 waters. 



Sediments off North Carolina, for instance, contain 

 important deposits of phosphate — a fundamental ele- 

 ment in the production of fertilizers. But so far, the pat- 

 tern and extent of these deposits are largely unknown. 

 For this reason, assessing what impact mining them 

 might have on North Carolina has so far been a matter of 

 guesswork. 



The research: studies into the phosphate forma- 

 tions of Onslow Bay — where the largest deposits 

 lie, how they were formed and how they relate to 

 other formations 



Scott Snyder and Stan Riggs will begin a project 

 designed to increase the understanding of phosphate for- 

 mations in Onslow Bay, an area of nearshore waters 

 cradled in the bow of land between Cape Lookout and 

 Cape Fear. Previous studies by Riggs have already 

 shown that significant phosphate deposits lie under the 

 bay. But the team's new research will use sediment sam- 

 ples to extract answers for several key questions: When 

 and under what conditions were these deposits formed? 

 How do they fit into regional patterns of phosphate 

 deposition? The answers will help geologists learn more 

 about the formation of phosphates, and therefore what 

 conditions are good phosphate predictors. Using the 

 results, planners will be better able to determine where 

 the greatest phosphate reserves might be, and which 

 deposits should be more carefully explored — major steps 

 toward an understanding of one of North Carolina's most 

 valuable resources. 



The researchers: 



Scott Snyder, Department of Geology, East Carolina 

 University 



Stanley Riggs, Department of Geology, East Carolina 

 University 



The Legal Angle 



The problem: to answer tough legal and planning 

 questions concerning coastal issues 



Agencies charged with regulating the use of North 

 Carolina's coastal resources face a host of questions when 

 they write or implement new policies. Many of these 

 questions involve the complexities of law or community 

 planning. They include such topics as ownership, access 

 and public rights. Often, answering these questions de- 

 mands more research than the agencies themselves can 

 provide. And the problem is not only how to find the ex- 

 pertise to advise officials on the fine points of, say, the 

 leasing of public bottomlands under public waters. It is 

 also one of how to develop a pool of talent for the future, 

 people well-versed in coastal issues and ready to take 

 positions of leadership. 



The research: a study that answers to legal and 

 planning problems while developing a pool of 

 talent for the future 



For several years now, Sea Grant's program in coastal 

 and ocean policy has produced both answers and new 

 talent. The research, conducted by students in univer- 

 sity law and planning programs, has helped state and 

 federal agencies deal more effectively with such issues as 

 public access to beaches, the establishment of estuarine 

 sanctuaries, the use of submerged lands and methods for 

 managing coastal development. And, a number of stu- 

 dents have used the program to launch careers as leaders 

 in the management of the state's coastal resources. 



This year, David Brower will continue to encourage 

 and direct law and planning students into research of im- 

 mediate, practical value to coastal resource managers 

 and planners. 



The researcher: 



David Brower, Center for Urban and Regional Studies, 

 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 



