• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.81-90
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• 2015

International Seabed Authority (ISA) is currently developing rules with regard to exploitation of manganese nodules which will be contained in its first regulations governing the exploitation of deep seabed mineral resources. A stakeholder survey was conducted in the early 2014 by ISA with the aim of facilitating participation of interested entities in the development process of the rules. The stakeholders who had replied to the survey included existing contractors, sponsoring States, environmentalists, academics, and nongovernmental organizations. Opinions given by them largely reflect their own interests. This paper aims to clarify the scope of the obligations regarding the environmental protection which may be imposed on contractors under the new regulations for the exploitation of manganese nodules. To do so, it first analyses the express provisions on environmental protection applicable to deep seabed mining included in the Law of the Sea Convention, its agreement on implementation of Part XI, and the regulations on exploration for manganese nodules. Secondly, it categorizes these obligations based on the categories of international obligations suggested by Combacau and Alland. Based on the categorizations this paper concludes that, in addition to the existing duties to protect deep seabed environment within the Law of the Sea Convention system, the following new obligations could be added: conservation of exploitation sites for a limited time after the contract is ceased; taking all necessary measures for rehabilitation of destroyed ecosystems that occurredas a result of mining activities; monitoring exploitation sites for a limited period time after the contract is ceased; observing rules and standards on safety of ships and environmental protection adopted under IMO instruments; regulation on the discharge of mine tailings from the facilities used for exploitation of deep sea minerals. Lastly, this paper attempts to provide ways of reflecting national interests in terms of potential obligations which may be included in the new regulations.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.14 no.4 s.66
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• pp.17-21
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• 2005

Deep-sea Manganese nodules was treated with reduction-smelting process with adding the spent Ni-Cd battery or the cobalt contained spent catalyst for recovery of nickel and cobalt metals. The nickel in the spent Ni-Cd battery could be recovered by adding $5\%$ coke as a reducing agent regardless of the amount of battery added. However, to recover cobalt from the spent catalyst, it is require to add more coke for reduction of cobalt oxide in the catalyst. The treatment of metal wastes with manganese nodules can contribute to lower the cost for the processing of nodules and to facilitate the recycling of metal wastes.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.189-204
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• 1990

In the KODOS (Korea Deep Ocean Study)-89 area, western part of clarion-Clipperton fracture zones in the northeastern equatorial Pacific, magnate nodules and sediments were sampled during the 'Farnella' cruise in Oct., 1989. Bulk chemical and mineralogical analyses have been made on a suit of ferromanganese nodules and sediments to study the origin and distribution pattern of the nodules. The nodules are classified into three groups based on their origin: diagenetic nodules with high Mn/Fe ratio, Cu, Ni, Zn, Mg, todorokite contents and rough surface texture; hydrogenetic nodules with high Fe, Co, vernadite contents and smooth surface texture; and transitional nodules with intermediate characters between diagenetic and hydrogenetic nodules. Study area is divided into four zones according to the origin and abundance of nodules: far north area where nodules are hydrogenetic and intermediate in abundance; north area where nodules are diagenetic and low in abundance; south area where nodules are diagenetic and intermediate in abundance; seamount area where nodules are hydrogenetic and high in abundance. distribution pattern of manganese nodules in the KODOS-89 area seems to be controlled by latitudinal variation of productivity in water column and sea bottom morphology.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.241-253
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• 2021

Manganese nodules have been found in the shallow water depth of the Arctic Ocean as well as in the abyssal plains of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, but detailed study for them were rarely investigated. Manganese nodules, collected from the East Siberian Sea through the Arctic Expedition using Araon ice braking vessel, have a high potential for Mn mineral resources because they have high Mn content with high Mn/Fe ratio. This study investigated the external form, size and weight, internal texture for the non-spherical manganese nodule, which has about 7 % of total nodule from the East Siberian Sea. This study also researched the relative Mn-oxide mineral composition using the peak area ratio of X-ray diffraction pattern and their chemical composition. All data obtained from non-spherical nodules were compared with the spherical ones. Ellipsoidal, platy and irregular types are common among 5 groups of non-spherical manganese nodule based on the external form, and major axis and weight have positive relationship. All non-spherical manganese nodules have core mainly composed of mud sediments. The average Mn oxide mineral contents in nodules are birnessite, buserite and todorokite in descending order. Although mineral composition does not show any correlation with the external form, kind of core or internal structure, todorokite and buserite contents tend to increase and birnessite content decrease from the surface to the core in the nodule. Non-spherical manganese nodules have higher Mn content and Mn/Fe ratio than those from the shallow water depth of the Arctic Sea and even in the deep-sea of the Pacific and Indian Ocean. Although non-spherical nodule is larger and heavier, and has lower Mn content and Mn/Fe ratio than spherical nodule, there are not any differences in mineral composition and internal structure between them. Almost all manganese nodules collected from the East Siberian Sea are attributed to diagenetic process, because they are higher than 5 in Mn/Fe ratio.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.303-312
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• 2023

The determination of the oxidation states of metal elements in manganese nodules sheds light on the understanding of the formation mechanism of nodules, providing insights into the paleo-environmental conditions such as the redox potential of the aqueous system. This study aims to reveal the oxidation states and chemical bonding of manganese in the natural polymetallic nodules, utilizing conventional X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Specifically, shallow manganese nodules from the Siberian Arctic Sea, effectively recording mineralogical variations, were used in this study. Detailed analysis of XPS Mn 2p spectra showed changes in the manganese oxidation state from the center to the outer parts of the nodules. The central part of the nodules showed a higher Mn⁴⁺ content, approximately 67.9%, while the outermost part showed about 63% of Mn⁴⁺ due to an increase in the Mn³⁺+Mn²⁺. The decrease in the Mn oxidation state with the growth is consistent with the previously reported mineralogical variations from todorokite to birnessite with growth. Additionally, the O 1s spectra presented a predominance of Mn-O-H bonds in the outer layers compared to the center, suggesting hydration by water in the layered manganates of outer layers. The results of this study demonstrate that XPS can be directly applied to understand changes in paleo-environmental conditions such as the redox states during the growth of manganese nodules. Finally, future studies using high-resolution synchrotron-based XPS experiments could achieve details in oxidation states of manganese and trace metal elements.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.248-257
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• 1994

Growth rates of two manganese nodules collected in the Korea Deep Ocean Study (KODOS-89) site in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zones in the central Equatorial Pacific have been estimated by employing uranium-series disequilibrium techniques to investigate the geochemical processes leading to the formation of deep-sea nodules. the growth rates estimated from the profiles of excess /SUP 230/Th activities and ratios of excess /SUP 230/Th to /SUP 232/Th to /SUP 232/Th are in the order of a few millimeters per million years. Growth rates at bottom-side of nodules are 2-3 times faster than those at top-sides. Diagenetic supply of manganese could explain the faster growth at the bottom-side of nodules.

• 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.

• 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.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.260-270
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• 2008

The economics of manganese nodules mining was assessed based on 36 scenarios which reflect recent changes of the metal market. Those scenarios included optimistic/neutral/pessimistic prospect for the cost, 2 production scales(1.5 MT and 3 MT) and 6 assumptional paths of future metal prices. A large part of scenarios, in which optimistic or neutral prospect for the cost and metal prices were assumed, showed good economic feasibility of the project. For example, 37.12% of Internal Rate of Return(IRR) was obtained in the scenario of 3 MT production, neutral cost prospect and present metal price maintained in the future.