Page 22: of Marine Technology Magazine (November 2019)

2020 & Beyond: Subsea Mining eas. Many, if not most of these poten- and some rare-earth minerals (REM). ing, the legal and environmental chal- tial ? elds are located in the Paci? c Ring Each of these types of deposits present lenges presented to any mining opera- of Fire and are found within a Coastal their own unique challenges for effec- tion are potentially even more so. Any

States’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) tive and environmentally sound mining. commercial subsea activity which falls or outer Continental Shelf. As a rule, equipment designed for one within the EEZ generally 200nmi (and

Finally, Polymetallic crusts are also type of mining is only suitable for that for the purposes of subsea mineral found in relatively shallow water within type. rights, extends out to 350nmi to the con- coastal states’ EEZs. These crusts form tinental shelf) is governed by an individ- a hard pavement on the seabed up to Challenges: Legal ual coastal state’s regulations. 25cm thick. The minerals of commercial Although the technical challenges are Some of the Paci? c Island nations interest are cobalt, titanium, platinum daunting for any type of deep-sea min- which early on had signi? cant offshore

SOLWARA1 Mining Support Vessel in FUJIAN province PRC.

Photo Courtesy FUJIAN MAWEI SHIPBULDING

November/December 2019 22 MTR

MTR #9 (18-33).indd 22 12/2/2019 11:53:57 AM