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Seafloor sulphide exploration heat quietly rising
#1

The view from China where they are figuring out that sea bed mining isn't so easy after all...


 



Date: 2015-03-12 10:49:52




Our R & D, "Aggressor" deep seabed in deep core drilling rig can reach 4000 meters of the bottom picture shows the formation of the following 20 meters into the seabed sampling (photo China Economic Net / Bao Xiaoqian)

China Economic Net March 11 (Reporter Bao Xiaoqian) March 2, 2015, the Southwest Indian Ocean a sudden large waves, so that "Ocean One" surprise. Gust 11, wave height 5.5 m, reaching typhoon level, "Ocean One" can only choose to stop work, sail north shelter. This makes China the ocean voyage 34, Chief Scientist, Second Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration researcher Tao Chunhui skittish, a round trip is three days to complete the third leg of the pressure is even greater task.

Tens of thousands of kilometers away from the motherland in the southwest Indian Ocean, China executed 34 ocean voyage task "Ocean One" operating mode is endlessly day and night, 24 hours operation. Time, heavy task, the investigation team on board the expedition common feelings, but also our country in the southwest Indian Ocean expedition faced reality: According to China in 2011 and the International Seabed Authority signed a "polymetallic sulphide exploration contracts", 15-year contract period, China's exclusive right to explore 10,000 square kilometers Southwest Indian Ridge waters, but in the area of ​​exploration contract after eight years, China needs to give up 50% of the area, 10 years after giving up 75% of the area, only to retain 25% of the area.

"This means that we need to find out which 10,000 square kilometers of the situation as soon as possible, just 10 years, to carry out resource and environmental assessment and decided to abandon the area, work very difficult." Tao Chunhui frankly, unlike land-based exploration of the seabed study progress heavily influenced by the equipment condition, marine weather and other unknown factors.

What hydrothermal area mean

November 2014 to June 2015, China's main ocean research vessel "Ocean One" expedition again southwest Indian Ocean, China executed 34 Ocean voyage of scientific investigation, planning time 219 days, a range of about 20,000 nautical miles. Almost at the same time, from December 2014 to February 2015, carrying China's first manned submersible "dragon" and "sunny red 9" China also executed Southwest Indian Ocean Expedition 35 mission voyage. Sulphides, is their common goal.

Seabed sulphide resources are mainly concentrated in the mid-ocean ridges and back-arc basin, is the main product of hydrothermal activity, because of its rich in copper, zinc, lead, gold, silver, iron and other metals to become a potential seabed mineral resources , concern. Hydrothermal activity and large ocean ridge expansion related to newborn oceanic crust along mid-ocean ridge spreading process will produce fissures, cracks down into the deep sea, with the surrounding wall rock material exchange reaction occurs, become rich in metal high-temperature hydrothermal fluids, under certain conditions, up to the seafloor hydrothermal fluid from the lower surface of the seabed pile up, it will form a "black smokers" block that sulfides.

Rich seabed mineral resources far beyond people's imagination. It is an internationally renowned expert on Hannington sulfide estimate the total amount of the global seabed polymetallic sulfide reach 10 million tons of copper and zinc content of about 300 million tons, and the land Cenozoic massive polymetallic sulphide deposits discovered copper, zinc quite content.

"A few years ago a survey showed Solwara 1 seafloor sulphide prospect area in New Guinea waters under exploration, the sample content of up to 1515 grams of gold per tonne." 34 China Ocean voyage geology team leader, China Geological University (Beijing), Professor Su newly introduced six years ago, the world's only found about 100 hydrothermal area in 2014, has more than 300 hydrothermal field was discovered; and about 60,000 km long global mid-ocean ridge Only about 10% after a more detailed investigation.

Since 2007, China Ocean voyage survey conducted in the Southwest Indian Ridge a total of 12 cruises five segments of seafloor hydrothermal activity survey found a total of more than 10 hydrothermal area, into the forefront of the global study of seafloor hydrothermal .Following the 2013-2014 ocean voyage after 30, 34 Air China's trip to the Southwest Indian Ocean, on our sulphide resource exploration contract area.

Global concern about rising

10,000 square kilometers southwest of the Indian Ocean after sulphides exclusive right to explore resources mining contracts signed between China and the International Seabed Authority is since 2010 by the International Seabed Authority "on prospecting and exploration for polymetallic sulphides regulations" acceptance and approval of the first an application.

What "The first metal sulfide exploration contract" mean? Tao Chunhui, said the first contract for the Chinese, which shows the strength of our oceans expedition has been internationally recognized, China can also be for human exploitation of seabed resources to contribute; it also means there is no experience to follow the expedition mission More need to fumble in the front row.

It is noteworthy that more than 300 of hydrothermal activity has been found in the world, over 60% are located in the mid-ocean ridge regions, of which 40% is located in the international seabed area. International seabed area of ​​251.7 million square kilometers area, accounting for 49% of the earth's surface, the seabed and its subsoil national territory, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf beyond, not governed by any country. "The vast wealth of the submarine areas intrinsic strategic metal resources, with the increasing consumption of deep-sea technology development and land surveys of mineral resources, exploration and development of seabed mineral resources will become a reality." Tao Chunhui assertion.

Nautilus Minerals (Nautilus Minerals) is the world's first dedicated to the deep seabed mineral resources exploration company, which in 2005 within the exclusive economic zone of sulphide resources in Papua New Guinea were commercial exploration. As of December 2011, Nautilus Minerals has received Tonga, Fiji, Solomon Islands, New Zealand and Vanuatu in the South Pacific [0.85% of funds research report] in the island nation's exclusive economic zone more than 490,000 square kilometers of sulphide exploration area.

Commercial exploration seabed sulphide resources to some extent, promoted the development of resources in the international seabed area sulphides investigation. In 2011, the 17th session of the International Seabed Authority have approved the Chinese about the Southwest Indian Ridge, and Russia on the North Atlantic [2.57% of funds research report] ridge sulfide mining application. In 2012, South Korea and France became the country's second batch of applications for international seabed sulphide exploration rights, the application area are located in the Indian Ocean and the North Atlantic ridge ridge. Germany and India have also applied for a mid-ocean ridge sulphide exploration contract area.

"International concern about the rising seabed resources, based on the current status of research and technology of deep sea, how to conduct Southwest Indian Ridge sulfide resource exploration and environmental assessment, and to further promote the ultra-slow spreading ridge of basic scientific research, is currently China great opportunities and challenges faced. "Tao Chunhui said.

Deep-sea technology as a key

"In the low level of the block to carry out comprehensive survey anomaly detection surveys drag, circle mineralization anomalies; encryption survey conducted in two known mineralized zones and mineralized anomalies, circle the mineralized zone; in other typical mineralization carry out deep drilling sampling area to obtain the above key areas of the spatial distribution of sulphide ore superficial understanding. "This is the third leg of the China Ocean voyage 34 goals.

Put these words into reality is not easy.

"Seafloor hydrothermal vents are usually very small range, only tens of meters, the meter range, very difficult to discover in the next two to three thousand meters under the sea, and to find an inactive hydrothermal area is difficult to add on difficult. "Tao Chunhui to Economic Daily News reporter Jie Shao, to explore the seabed, China has independently developed a TV grab, drag comprehensive detection camera body, USBL systems and other equipment, and in the" Ocean One "on be applied, while the" dragon "manned submersible pilot application, our ability to pinpoint the seabed exploration work has also been greatly improved.

Integrated anomaly detection drag survey is to understand whether the presence of mineralization abnormalities basis means that by carrying cameras, video cameras and other monitoring equipment towed body, at a distance of 3-5 meters in height from the seabed boat dragged slowly forward. 34 The third leg of hydrothermal ocean voyage abnormal group leader Dr. Wu Jialin introduce binding chemical sensor towed body, turbidity sensors, methane detectors and other equipment, can understand the near-bottom waters of pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, redox potential, concentration of hydrogen sulfide, etc., to determine whether there hydrothermal abnormality.

You can use the TV grab seabed surface grab samples, to determine the thickness and distribution of sulfides, you need to use the drilling mode. "China has independently developed the 'Achievers' deep seabed in deep core drilling rig can reach a maximum depth of 4,000 meters subsea, 20 meters into the seabed sampling strata below .4000 meters deep in meaning will be under the pressure of 40 MPa, the equivalent of every There are a square cm 400 kg of pressure. "34 ocean voyage deep drilling team leader, a pioneer in high-tech Co., Ltd. Beijing Jongno engineer.

Deep drilling operations is the highlight of the China Ocean 34 voyage. February 22, "Ocean One" use "aggressive person" for the first time get a "bridge hydrothermal zone" core sequence, which is China's first seafloor hydrothermal activity drill core sequence. "Undersea footage core of 10 meters, which is the country in the southwest Indian Ocean seafloor sulphide drilling sampling longest time," said Sue new introduction, the sample surface is visible role in the formation of epithermal opal, the lower part of the formation of pyrite temperature In addition there are a few small sulfide chimneys, which initially revealed the development of the region have repeatedly hydrothermal activity, showed good mineralization conditions.

The crucial role of the manned submersible. "With the 'dragon' will be able to fine investigate hydrothermal zone. 'Dragon' focus on breakthrough point, 'Ocean One' face survey conducted in a broader context. Both can complement each other, support each other, important reason for this is their total exploration of the southwest Indian Ocean. "Tao Chunhui ending in" dragon "February 7 after work go to Ocean One number to work in the" sunny red 9 "during his ride aboard the" dragon No. " dived to the seabed personally explored four hydrothermal areas.

Explore the deep face technical challenges. China should play an important role in the global seabed resource exploration, technology development is inseparable from the deep sea, "Ocean One" and "dragon" is only the first step.

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