• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.68-74
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• 1998

Performance and efficiency of deep seabed collector is a primary factor for feasibility of commercial deep ocean mining. The efficiency of manganese nodules collector depends on vehicle mobility relative to undulating seafloor and is attributed pickup head to keep altitude and elevation of it against seafloor. For this reason, motion control of pickup head relative to the changing deep-sea topography and other disturbances is of particular importance in design of pickup device. The concept of design axiom is applied to a pickup device of hybrid type in order to evaluate the concept design. Kinematic analysis conducted in absolute Cartesian coordinates gives position, velocity, and acceleration of the hydraulic cylinders which enable the pickup head to keep the preset optimal distance from seafloor. Inverse dynamic analysis provides the driving forces of hydraulic cylinders and the reaction forces at each joint. Design sensitivity analysis is performed in order to investigate the effects of possible design variables on the change of the maximum strokes of hydraulic cylinders. The direct differentiation method is used to obtain the design sensitivity coefficients.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 1996.11a
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• pp.891-895
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• 1996

Performance and efficiency of hybrid (hydraulic-mechanical) pick-up device of deep sea manganese nodules collector are very sensitive to altitude and altitude of pick-up head relative to undulating seafloor. For this reason, motion control of pick-up head relative to the changing deep sea topography and other disturbances is of particular importance in design of pick-up device. The concept of design axiom is applied to a pick-up device of hybrid type. Kinematic analysis conducted in absolute Cartesian coordinates gives position, velocity, and acceleration of the hydraulic cylinders which enable the pick-up head to keep the preset optimal distance from seafloor. Inverse dynamic analysis provides the driving forces of hydraulic cylinders and the reaction forces at each joint. Design sensitivity analysis is performed in order to investigate the effects of possible design variables on the change of the maximum strokes of hydraulic cylinders. The direct differentiation method is used to obtain the design sensitivity coefficients.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.167-176
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• 2009

Cobalt-rich manganese crusts on seamounts have received an increasing amount of attention as future resources for Co, Ni, Cu, and Mn. A dearth of detailed information regarding the relevant distribution characteristics, mining technologies, and ore processing technologies, however, has precluded potential evaluations of the technical and economic advantages of these crusts. In the past 4 years, Korea has undertaken a survey of the cobalt-rich manganese crusts in and around the Magellan Seamount and Mid-Pacific Mountains. This paper introduces the preliminary feasibility study of the distribution features and R&D results centered around the development of the cobalt-rich manganese crusts. The evaluation model was developed by modifying the model for the manganese nodules. In addition to considering the geological and geophysical differences between the manganese nodules and the cobalt-rich manganese crusts, an ore dressing subsystem was installed in the model. The mining subsystem is composed of a self-propelled collector--a pipeline with submersible hydraulic pumps for crust lifting. The smelting and chlorine leach method was selected for metallurgical processing. The production scales were established at 2,500t/y of cobalt metal. The production of three metals--cobalt, nickel, and copper--was considered in terms of metallurgical processing. The economic feasibility analyses demonstrated that the payback period was 11.4 years, the NPV was 36M$, and the IRR was 9.6% with the economic factors in the case of a cobalt price of US$ 25/lb. It was also demonstrated in this study that the payback period was 8.6 years, the NPV was 154M$, and the IRR was 14.0% in the case of a cobalt price of US$ 30/lb. This indicates that the approach under consideration appears to offer greater potential given the predicted metal prices.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.173-182
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• 2007

It is well known that manganese nodules enriched with valuable metals are abundantly distributed in the abyssal plain area in the Clarion-Clipperton (C-C) fracture zone of the northeast Pacific. Previous studies using deep-sea camera (DSC) system reported different observations about the relation of seafloor topographic change and nodule abundance, and they were sometimes contradictory. Moreover, proper foundation on the estimation of DSC underwater position, was not introduced clearly. The variability of the mining condition of manganese nodule according to seafloor topography was examined in the Korea Deep Ocean Study (KODOS) area, located in the C-C zone. In this paper, it is suggested that the utilization of deep towing system such as DSC is very useful approach to whom are interested in analysing the distributional characteristics of manganese nodule filed and in selecting promising minable area. To this purpose, nodule abundance and detailed bathymetry were acquired using deep-sea camera system and multi-beam echo sounder, respectively on the seamount free abyssal hill area of southern part ($132^{\circ}10'W$, $9^{\circ}45'N$) in KODOS regime. Some reasonable assumptions were introduced to enhance the accuracy of estimated DSC sampling position. The accuracy in the result of estimated underwater position was verified indirectly through the comparison of measured abundances on the crossing point of neighboring DSC tracks. From the recorded seafloor images, not only nodules and sediments but cracks and cliffs could be also found frequently. The positions of these probable unminable area were calculated by use of the recorded time being encountered with them from the seafloor images of DSC. The results suggest that the unminable areas are mostly distributed on the slope sides and hill tops, where nodule collector can not travel over.