• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.197-207
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• 2016

This paper seeks to measure the monetary value of technical development in the deep seabed manganese nodule mining by applying the compound option model (COM). The COM is appropriate for the project in terms of its decision-making structure and embedded uncertainty. The estimation results show that the deep seabed mining project has more economic potential than shown by the previously obtained results from the discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis. In addition, it is reasonable to invest in the project taking the various uncertainty factors into consideration, because the ratio of the value to the cost of the project is far higher than one. This information can be utilized in national ocean policy decision-making.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.515-524
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• 2014

The Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology has acquired detailed biological, chemicophysical, and geological data in the northeastern Pacific through a manganese nodule program since 1983. Plenty of manganese nodules were collected to estimate the amount of resources by free-fall grab and box corer. The collected manganese nodules have been archived systematically in the rock and mineral storage section of the Library of Marine Samples (LIMS) since 2012. The LIMS provides essencial information on the stored samples including sample name, nodule type, sampling location, depth, and equipment. Although a high quality database of the information system is under construction, the samples have tagged information for manganese nodules like chemical composition, morphology, weight, size, abundance, and photograph. In this study, we attempted to provide information on the well-organized and easily accessible archived manganese nodule samples for future studies and to introduce the usefulness of the LIMS.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.477-486
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• 2012

High-resolution bathymetry and physico-chemical properties of manganese nodules were explored to identify the relationship between morphological features and nodule occurrences in the KR1, one of the Korean contract nodule fields located in the NE Pacific. The high-resolution seabed mapping showed that the southwestern sector of the KR1 (KR1-1) was relatively deeper than the northeastern sector (KR1-2) which is occupied by small-scale seamounts. In terms of nodule occurrence, manganese nodules in the KR1-1 were comparatively larger (2-4 cm) with rough surface (t-type) and discoidal shapes (D-type), while those in the KR1-2 were generally small (<2 cm) with smooth surface (s-type) and irregular shapes (I-type). In addition, the nodules in the KR1-1 had higher contents of Cu, Mn and Ni. Such connections of water depths to nodule appearances and metal contents are commonly observed in the Pacific nodule fields. On the other hand, the nodules in the KR1-2 tend to be controled by morphological features. The seamounts in the KR1-2 might continuously provide rock fragments as new nuclei of manganese nodules. As a result, the nodules could not grow over than 2 cm and showed the shapes of a newbie (i.e., smooth surface and irregular shapes). As a result, our observations indicate that occurrence features of manganese nodules could be subjected to water depths and seabed morphology simultaneously.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.423-435
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• 2014

Verifying the similarity of environmental characteristics between an artificial impact site and a preserved or reference site is necessary to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate the environmental impact of mining activity. Although an impact site (BIS station) and a preserved site (called KOMO station) that have been selected in the Korea manganese nodule contract area may share similar environmental characteristics, similarities in terms of the water column environment between both sites has not been investigated. In this study, we compared the chemical properties of the water columns and sinking particle fluxes between BIS and KOMO stations through two observations (August 2011 and September 2012). Additionally, we observed particle fluxes at the KOMO station for five years (July 2003~July 2008) to understand long-term natural variability. Vertical distributions of water column properties such as dissolved oxygen, inorganic nutrients (N, P, Si), total organic carbon below surface layer (within the depth range of 200 m) were not considerably different between the two sites. Especially, values of water column parameters in the abyssopelagic zone from 4000 m to bottom layer (~5000 m) were very similar between the BIS and KOMO sites. Sinking particle fluxes from the two sites also showed similar seasonality. However, natural variation of particle flux at the KOMO site varied from 3.5 to $129.9mg\;m^{-2}day^{-1}$, with a distinct temporal variation originating from ENSO events (almost forty times higher than a minimum value). These results could provide valuable information to more exactly evaluate the environmental impact of mining activity on water columns.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.455-466
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• 2010

Seabed mineral resources explored by Korea are categorized into major three types of deposit; manganese nodule, manganese crust and polymetallic sulfides. Pt displays high enrichment factors (400, ore/crust ratios) in manganese nodule. Rare earth oxide content in manganese nodule ranges from 0.037 to 0.302 REO % with mean value of 0.12 REO %. Both of Te and Pt are enriched elements in manganese crust, displaying enrichment factors of 10800 and 150, respectively. Rare earth oxide's contents of manganese crust are slightly higher than manganese nodule's (0.013~0.387 REO %, average = 0.18 REO %). Se and In are outstanding rare metals from seabed polymetallic sulfides, showing enrichment factors of 1300 and 110, respectively. Au (0.8~26.3 g/t) and Ag (0.9~348.0 g/t) are another enriched elements in polymetallic sulfides. The main concern at exploiting seabed mineral resource will be a securing rare metals for high-technology industries and rare metals from subsea mineral deposits will add economic values to commodity candidates such like Co, Ni and Cu.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.505-514
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• 2014

The development of deep seabed manganese nodules has been carried out with the aim of commercial development in 2023. It is important to forecast the price of the four metals (copper, nickel, cobalt, and manganese) extracted from manganese nodules because price change is a criterion for investment decision. The main purpose of the study is to forecast the price of four metals using the ARIMA model and VAR model, and calculate the MAPE to compare a goodness-of-fit between the two models. The estimated results of the two models reveal statistical significance and are in keeping with economic theory. The results of MAPE for goodness-of-fit show that the VAR model is between 0.1 and 0.2, and the ARIMA model is between 0.4 and 0.6. That is, the VAR model is better than the ARIMA model in forecasting changes in the price of metals.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.139-145
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• 2022

Manganese nodules were recovered within the deep subseafloor sediments (118.22 mbsf) at Site U1371 during International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) expedition 329 from the South Pacific Gyre (SPG). Because most manganese nodules exist on the seabed surface, nodules present in deep sediments are uncommon. Therefore, the growth origin of manganese nodules was identified through mineralogical and geochemical analyses. The manganese nodule was divided into the concentric layer outside the manganese region and the inner part of the phosphatized region consisting of manganese oxide minerals and carbonate fluorapatite (CFA) minerals, respectively. The two-dimensional element distribution analysis of Mn, Co, Ni, Sr and Cu, Zn with low Mn/Fe ratio confirmed that manganese nodules were formed predominantly by a hydrogenetic process and a biogenic process in certain manganese layers. As a result, the manganese nodule was continuously precipitated in SPG environments of oligotrophic open paleoocean conditions and rapidly buried with siliceous ooze sediments when the SPG changed to a eutrophic environment. It has been confirmed that manganese nodules found within deep subseafloor sediments could be used as a new proxy for the reconstruction of paleooceanographic conditions.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.455-463
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• 2014

This paper presents data from performance tests carried out to assess a manganese nodule crusher. Manganese nodules should be crushed into smaller pieces in order to assure the slurry flow of the lifting system. Both artificial nodules and real manganese nodules are used to evaluate nodule breaking ability of the crusher. The crushing performance of the crusher depends on the flow rate and pressure of the power transmission device. The size of the crushed manganese nodules also depends on the shape of the crushing drum. In this paper, several comparative tests are carried out to evaluate and improve the crushing performance and find the optimal design point of the crusher.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.373-381
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• 2014

Korea contract Mn-nodule field in the NE equatorial Pacific is composed of seven sectors with average water depths of 4,513-5,025 m. Of the various factors controlling the properties of Mn-nodule, it seems that water depth is likely connected to the chemical composition and occurrence of nodules. To test whether such an assumption held in each sector, we reviewed previous research data accumulated since 1994 for one of the northern sectors (hereafter KR1) where there are stark contrasts in water depth. High-resolution seabed mapping clearly separates a northern part (KR1N) from a deeper southern part (KR1S), cutting across in the middle of the KR1. In addition, significant volcanic activities forming numerous seamounts are distinctive especially in KR1N. In terms of nodule occurrence, manganese nodules in KR1S are comparatively larger (2-4 cm) with a discoidal shape, while those in KR1N are generally small (<2 cm) with poly-lobate and irregular shapes. Nodules in KR1N also have lower Co, Cu, Mn and Ni, and higher Fe contents. The spatial separation in nodule characteristics might be caused by volcanic activities in KR1N rather than water depth contrast. During the formation of the seamounts in KR1N, rock fragments and volcanic ashes as new nuclei of the nodules would have been continuously generated. As a result, the nodules could not grow larger than 2 cm and display the shapes of a newbie (i.e., irregular and poly-lobate shapes). Moreover, significant Fe supply from volcanic activities probably decreases the Mn/Fe ratio, which may lead to the KR1 nodules being misinterpreted as a hydrogenic in origin compared to other sectors where a high Mn/Fe ratio is present.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.429-437
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• 1996

The purpose of this study is to correct the nodule abundance of FFG (Free Fall Grab) sampler on KODOS (Korea Deep Ocean Study) area in North-East Pacific Ocean. The image analysis of sea-floor photography was carried out for correcting the abundance of nodules, and the image enhancement techniques and edge detection method were used to discriminate between nodules and sediments. The trace of nodules on sediments was detected to reduce the fractionation effect in calculating the coverage of nodules. The three methods, using the coverage of nodules, using the volume density, and using corrected volume density, were utilized for the correction of the nodule abundance. The method using the coverage of nodules was more convenient and available for the correction of nodule abundance than the other two methods. The method using the corrected volume density had the highest confidence level compared with the other methods.