MINING INSTITUTE AUTHORIZATION 

HEARING 

BEFORE THE 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENERGY 

AND MINERAL RESOURCES 

OF THE 

COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

ONE HUNDRED FOURTH CONGRESS 

SECOND SESSION 

ON 

H.R. 3249 

TO AUTHORIZE APPROPRIATIONS FOR A MINING INSTITUTE TO DEVELOP DOMESTIC TECHNOLOGICAL 

CAPABILITIES FOR THE RECOVERY OF MINERALS 

FROM THE NATION'S SEABED AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 

25-635 cc 

MAY 9, 1996-WASHINGTON, DC 

Serial No. 104-76 

Printed for the use of the Committee on Resources 

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

WASHINGTON : 1996 

For sale by the U.S. Government Printing Office 

Superintendent of Documents. Congressional Sales Office, Washington, DC 20402 

ISBN 0 - 16-052991-3 
COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES 

DON YOUNG, Alaska, Chairman 

W.J. (BILLY) TAUZIN, Louisiana 

JAMES V. HANSEN, Utah 

JIM SAXTON, New Jersey 

ELTON GALLEGLY, California 

JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR., Tennessee 

JOEL HEFLEY, Colorado 

JOHN T. DOOLITTLE, California 

WAYNE ALLARD, Colorado 

WAYNE T. GILCHREST, Maryland 

KEN CALVERT, California 

RICHARD W. POMBO, California 

PETER G. TORKILDSEN, Massachusetts 

J.D. HAYWORTH, Arizona 

FRANK A. CREMEANS, Ohio 

BARBARA CUBIN, Wyoming 

WES COOLEY, Oregon 

HELEN CHENOWETH, Idaho 

LINDA SMITH, Washington 

GEORGE P. RADANOVICH, California 

WALTER B. JONES, JR., North Carolina 

WILLIAM M. (MAC) THORNBERRY, Texas 

RICHARD (DOC) HASTINGS, Washington 

JACK METCALF, Washington 

JAMES B. LONGLEY, JR., Maine 

JOHN B. SHADEGG, Arizona 

JOHN E. ENSIGN, Nevada 

GEORGE MILLER, California 

EDWARD J . MARKEY, Massachusetts 

NICK J. RAHALL II, West Virginia 

BRUCE F. VENTO, Minnesota 

DALE E. KILDEE, Michigan 

PAT WILLIAMS, Montana 

SAM GEJDENSON, Connecticut 

BILL RICHARDSON, New Mexico 

PETER A. DEFAZIO, Oregon 

ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American 

Samoa 

TIM JOHNSON, South Dakota 

NEIL ABERCROMBIE, Hawaii 

GERRY E. STUDDS, Massachusetts 

SOLOMON P. ORTIZ, Texas 

OWEN B. PICKETT, Virginia 

FRANK PALLONE, JR., New Jersey 

CALVIN M. DOOLEY, Californi!! 

CARLOS A. ROMERO-BARCELO, Puerto 

Rico 

MAURICE D. HINCHEY, New York 

ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD, Guam 

SAM F ARR, California 

PATRICK J. KENNEDY, Rhode Island 

DANIEL VAL KISH, Chief of Staff 

DAVID G. DYE, Chief Counsel 

CHRISTINE A.KENNEDY, Chief Clerk/Administrator 

JOHN LAWRENCE, Democratic Staff Director 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES 

KEN CALVERT, California, Chairman 

W.J. (BILLY) TAUZIN, Louisiana NEIL ABERCROMBIE, Hawaii 

JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR., Tennessee EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts 

JOEL HEFLEY, Colorado NICK J. RAHALL II, West Virginia 

J.D. HAYWORTH, Arizona CALVIN M. DOOLEY, California 

FRANK A. CREMEANS, Ohio SOLOMON P. ORTIZ, Texas 

BARBARA CUBIN, Wyoming 

HELEN CHENOWETH, Idaho 

WILLIAM M. (MAC) THORNBERRY, Texas 

WILLIAM CONDIT, Professional Staff 

SHARLA BICKLEY, Professional Staff 

LIZ BIRNBAUM, Democratic Counsel 

(Il) 
CONTENTS 

Page 

Hearing held May 9, 1996 ........... .. ............. ,........................... .... ............................. 1 

Text of H.R. 3249 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 

Statements of Members: 

Abercrombie, Hon. Neil, a U.S. Representative from Hawaii ....................... 2 

Calvert, Hon. Ken, a U.S. Representative from California; Chairman 

of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Lands .................... 1 

Wicker, Hon. Roger F., a U.S. Representative from Mississippi ..... .... ... .... .. 3 

Statements of witnesses: Cruickshank, Dr. Michael J., Director of the University of Hawaii, Marine 

Minerals Technology Center ... . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . .. . . .. . .. . . . . . . . 6 

Prepared statement ................................................................................... 21 

Kitsos, Dr. Tom, Director, Office of International Activities and Marine 

Minerals, Minerals Management Service ......... .... ....... ............................... 4 

Rigg, John B., Sr., Consultant, Arlington, Virginia ....................................... 7 

Prepared statement ................................................................................... 30 

Woolsey, Dr. J. Robert, Director of the University of Mississippi, Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute . .... .... .... ... .. .. .. .. ..... .. .... .... ....... .... ...... ... 5 

Prepared statement ........................ .................................... ....................... 21 

Additional information: 

Kitsos, Dr. Thomas R.: Response to Mr. Calvert's Question ......................... 19 

Woolsey, Dr. J. Robert: 

Comments on the Relative Merits of the Marine Minerals Technology 

Center Versus the Basic Mineral Institute Program .. ........................ 25 

History of the Marine Minerals Technology Center ....... ........... ............. 24 

Technical Progress Report for the Period of Oct. 1, 1995-March 31, 

1996 ..... ..................... .. ................ ............................................................. 27 

(III) 

MINING INSTITUTE AUTHORIZTION 

TUESDAY, MAY 9, 1996 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS, FOREST AND LANDS, COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES, 

Washington, D.C. 

The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 2:00 p.m., in room 

1324, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Ken Calvert [chairman of the subcommittee] presiding. 

STATEMENT OF HON. KEN CALVERT, A U.S. REPRESENTATIVE 

FROM CALIFORNIA, AND CHAIRMAN OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS, FORESTS AND LANDS 

Mr. CALVERT. The Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources will come to order. The subcommittee's business today is a 

legislative hearing on H.R. 3249, a bill to authorize appropriations 

for a mining institute to develop domestic technological capabilities 

for the recovery of minerals from the Nation's seabed, and for other 

purposes. The bill was introduced by our ranking member, Mr. 

Abercrombie of Hawaii, together with Mr. Wicker of Mississippi. 

Roger, I would like to thank you for stopping by and saying a few 

words of introduction on behalf of Dr. Woolsey of the University of 

Mississippi, who will be testifying on the bill. I also understand you 

have another hearing at the same time and will be unable to stay 

with us very long so we will move this right along. 

I believe my colleague from Hawaii will want to say a few opening words as well so I will just simply say that with the closure 

of the U.S. Bureau of Mines mandated by the fiscal year 1996 Appropriations Act, I think Congress would be wise to consider limited funding of academic institutions to continue strategic material 

research efforts. · 

With proper oversights, perhaps driven by a non-Federal source 

matching funds requirement, universities can well perform many 

science and engineering studies necessary to meet society's future 

needs for minerals, such as developing techniques to remotely identify sand, gravel, and shell resources of the OCS for the use in 

coastal beach replenishment projects. 

So as we begin to debate on the budget for the coming year for 

various agencies, it is timely to consider authorization of this Federal-State partnership. And with that, I will turn it over to Mr. 

Abercrombie. 

(1) 
2 

STATEMENT OF HON. NEIL ABERCROMBIE, A U.S. 

REPRESENTATIVE FROM HAWAII 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I very 

much appreciate your scheduling this hearing today on H.R. 3249. 

This is legislation, as you indicated, that was drafted and introduced in the true spirit of bipartisanship by the gentleman from 

Mississippi, Mr. Wicker, and myself. 

And, as you indicated, this would authorize appropriations for a 

mining institute to promote environmentally responsible technology 

development for the recovery of minerals from the Nation's seabed. 

And this type of technology, I hasten to add, is critical to the future 

of mining in the United States. And in deference to the problem 

that Mr. Wicker has with time, I would ask your permission to be 

able to submit the rest of my statement for the record and defer 

to Mr. Wicker for his remarks. 

Mr. CALVERT. Certainly. Without objection, so ordered. 

[Statement of Hon. Neil Abercrombie follows:] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF HON. NEIL ABERCROMBIE 

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate your scheduling this hearing today on H.R. 3249, the 

Mining and Mineral Resources Institutes Act. This is legislation that was drafted 

and introduced in the true spirit of bipartisanship by the gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. Wicker] and myself. H.R. 3249 would authorize appropriations for a mining institute to promote environmentally responsible technology development for 

the recovery of minerals from the Nation's seabed. This type of technology is critical 

to the future of mining in the United States. H.R. 3249 is not a new government program. Previously, Administration for Marine Mining has been carried out under the Mineral Institutes Program within the 

bureau of Mines. Last year the decision was made to terminate the Bureau of 

Mines. Yet, worthwhile functions of this agency still deserve and need support. One 

such example is the Marine Mineral Technology centers (MMTC) of the Mineral Institutes Program. The executive branch recognizing the valve of this program transferred the MMTC to the jurisdiction of the Mineral management Service. The MMTC has offered a unique cooperative program involving leading University 

research teams dealing with applied problems in marine resources and the marine 

environment. The program is unique in that for a relatively small input of Federal 

seed money to State institutions and small research organizations, not only has a prodigious amount of practical research and development been accomplished, but a by-product of quality graduate students has been trained with practical hands-on 

experience. The Center's program of research, technology development and education is multidisciplinary and international in scope. 

Currently, the MMTC program is being carried out by the Continental Shelf Division, located at the University of Mississippi, and the Oceans Basins Division at the 

University of Hawaii. The University of Hawaii MMTC has been assisted by matching funds from the 

State of Hawaii because of its critical input to State cooperative development programs, as well as University research and education. Practical aspects of the program have included major inputs to an Environmental Impact Statement on Cobalt 

Crusts in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Hawaiian and Johnston Islands, State programs on sand for the preservation of Hawaii's beaches and coastal 

environment, and the clean-up of military ordnance from the offshore areas of 

Kaho'Olawe Island, recently returned to the Native Hawaiian people by the Navy. 

This program merits continued Federal support. I am hopeful that we can move H.R. 3249 expeditiously through the legislative process. 

I look forward to the testimony of the witnesses. 

Mr. CALVERT. And, Mr. Wicker, you have the floor. 
3 

STATEMENT OF HON. ROGER F. WICKER, A U.S. 

REPRESENTATIVE FROM MISSISSIPPI 

Mr. WICKER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and members of the subcommittee. It is a pleasure for me to be here today to introduce a 

constituent who I am very proud of. I also want to say that I am 

delighted to be a co-sponsor with the gentleman from Hawaii, Mr. 

Abercrombie, of legislation which would reauthorize appropriations 

for the Marine Mineral Resources Program, a program which will 

enable the United States to continue pursuing the development of 

ocean mining technology, an activity which many of our competitor 

Nations are engaged in very aggressively. 

This is a program about developing surveying and sampling systems used in locating minerals in the vast, part of our great Nation 

that is under the sea and around the coastline. It is a program that 

is vital in the areas of coastal stabilization and beach replenishment. 

It is also a program that has a great deal to do with monitoring 

pollutants in our rivers and in ocean sediments. It is an example, 

Mr. Chairman, of a strong partnership between the Federal Government, the academic community, and private industry. 

So I am delighted to be here, both on behalf of the legislation, 

joining my colleague from Hawaii, and also to introduce my constituent, Dr. Robert Woolsey, who will testify on behalf of the reauthorization. Dr. Woolsey is the Director of the Mississippi Mineral 

Resources Institute at the University of Mississippi and the National Director of the Marine Minerals Technology Center's Continental Shelf Division. Dr. Woolsey has worked with industry, the 

United Nations, and academia to develop environmentally responsible methods of capturing the valuable minerals deposited offshore. 

Over the past 30 years, Dr. Woolsey has worked in offshore 

dredging operations in areas of Alaska, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, 

and Russia. He also advises the Government of Belize on environmentally safe methods of opening the Belize River to navigation 

while preserving its delicate ecosystem. I appreciate the opportunity to be with you today and to say a word of introduction to 

my friend and constituent, Dr. Robert Woolsey. Thank you. 

Mr. CALVERT. Thank you. And we thank you, Mr. Wicker, for 

taking time out of your busy schedule to be with us, and we will 

report back to you on the success of this hearing. 

Mr. WICKER. Thank you. 

Mr. CALVERT. Have a good day. I would first like to introduce our 

first panel, Dr. Tom Kitsos, Director of the Office of International 

Activities and Marine Minerals, Minerals Management Service; Dr. 

Robert Woolsey, Director of the University of Mississippi, Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute; Dr. Michael J. Cruickshank, 

Director, University of Hawaii, Marine Minerals Technology Center; and Mr. John B. Rigg, Sr., Consultant, Arlington, Virginia. If 

you will all come up to the dais. 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Mr. Chairman? 

Mr. CALVERT. Yes. 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE. May I interrupt just a moment to wish a special welcome to Dr. Kitsos who was counsel to the Merchant Marine Committee and one of my mentors when I first was in the 
4 

Congress, going back to the time of the special election back in 

1986. And I learned a great deal from him, and I am delighted to 

see him here today. Mr. KITSOS. Thank you. 

Mr. CALVERT. Welcome, doctor, and you may begin your testimony. 

STATEMENT OF DR. TOM KITSOS, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF 

INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND MARINE MINERALS, MIN· 

ERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE 

Mr. KITSOS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Abercrombie, for those nice remarks. Those were interesting times back 

then. Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to present testimony on H.R. 3249. The Interior Department supports the concepts 

embodied in the bill and recognizes the importance of the investiga- tions and technological development to be carried out under the 

bill. 

However, because of funding constraints and the likelihood of declining or stagnant budgets, the program continued by the legislation could impact ongoing critical departmental programs and activities absent additional funds to carry out the provisions of H.R. 

3249. The bill essentially reauthorizes the current Marine Minerals 

Technology Centers that, until quite recently, were administered by 

the Bureau of Mines. And the primary objective of the MMTC program is to promote the development of technological and ~ngineering systems for the exploration and sustainable development of marine minerals and the environmental assessment in monitoring the 

United States Exclusive Economic Zone. 

H.R. 3249 would authorize up to $1.2 million per year for each 

fiscal year after fiscal year '96 to, in effect, continue the MMTC 

program that is currently being carried out by the Continental 

Shelf Division, located at the University of Mississippi, and the 

Ocean Basins Division at the University of Hawaii. 

Right now, Mr. Chairman, MMTC is in the process of being 

phased down under the provisions of Public Law 104-99. In February of this year, the administrative and oversight responsibility 

for MMTC was transferred from the Bureau of Mines to the Minerals Management Service (MMS). 

The transfer was designed to do four things: one, facilitate the 

orderly phaseout of the MMTC program; two, provide for the necessary oversight of obligated contracts under the MMTC program; 

three, allow for the close coordination of the work done by this program with related programs of MMS; and, four, ensure that the 

highest priority problems and issues related to marine minerals are 

addressed. 

The MMTC was transferred to MMS because the Bureau's general responsibility over the nature, extent, recoverability, and valu- ation of leasable minerals on the Outer Continental Shelf makes its 

mission compatible with the MMTC. MMS is directed by the OCS 

Lands Act to require its lessees to use the best available technology 

and to recover mineral resources in an efficient but environmentally safe manner. 
5 

Such technical and environmental responsibilities of the MMS 

encourage the Bureau to reach out to outstanding research institutions, such as the centers established under the MMTC, for partnerships in the development of technologies in the field of marine 

mineral development. 

Because funds for the centers have been obligated through fiscal 

year 1997 and because the objectives and research of the MMTCs 

are compatible with the objectives of MMS's marine minerals program, we will continue to utilize the expertise and research products of the centers, and we will avail ourselves of their relevant research reports and other products until the funds are completely 

expended in fiscal year 1997. 

It is a privilege to be on the same panel with these distinguished 

members of the Marine Minerals Community. I thank you for the 

opportunity to testify and would be happy to answer any questions. 

[Prepared statement of Dr. Tom Kitsos may be found at the end 

of hearing.] 

Mr. CALVERT. Thank you for your testimony, doctor. Next, Dr. J. 

Robert Woolsey, Director, The University of Mississippi, Mineral 

Resources Institute. Doctor? 

STATEMENT OF DR. J. ROBERT WOOLSEY, DIRECTOR, THE 

UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI, MISSISSIPPI MINERAL RESOURCES INSTITUTE 

Mr. WOOLSEY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and members of the 

committee. We want to express our sincere gratitude for the opportunity to be with you today and present our testimony. With regard 

to our written testimony, we have provided it in several parts. 

There is the basic testimony that refers to our program and then 

there are two attachments which also, relate to our historical background. Mr. Chairman, there is a section that refer to some of your 

direct questions with regard to the makeup of the programs. We 

also added a third attachment which relates to some of our ongoing 

activities that mainly presents our very interactive program with 

government agencies, the military, and industry. It is actually an 

excerpt from our progress report that is due to Mr. Kitsos next 

week, and addresses those areas of our prime interest. So hopefully 

this will give the committee some idea and background of the extent of the activities that we are involved in, in a cooperative way, 

with industry and many of the government agencies, particularly 

Minerals Management Service. 

I hope in going over this testimony the committee will find we 

have done a good job in the past in pursuing our prime interest, 

which is the promotion of environmentally sound, sustainable development of marine mineral resources within our Exclusive Economic Zone. I think if I now might share this period of discussion 

with Dr. Cruickshank, if we will just trade back and forth on this, 

I feel it will probably provide the committee with the best use of 

their time. Mike, can you say something about this? 

Mr. CALVERT. Doctor, also we will enter your full, written testimony into the record without objection. 
6 

STATEMENT OF DR. MICHAEL J. CRUICKSHANK, DIRECTOR, 

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII, MARINE MINERALS TECHNOLOGY 

CENTER 

Mr. CRUICKSHANK. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am Michael 

Cruickshank, and I have been with the Marine Minerals program 

since 1964 with the U.S. Government and followed through on different occasions since that time. And so I have seen a lot of 

changes over the program. 

But one of the biggest changes of all that I have seen is the discovery and realization over this . period of time that the potential 

for finding mineral deposits in the seabeds is as great as the potential for finding mineral deposits on land. So that when you look at 

the size of the global mineral resources, we have quadrupled the 

global mineral resources from terrestrial sources by the additional 

three-quarters of the globe which is under water. 

Just with the addition of the Exclusive Economic Zone to the 

United States; the United States Mineral Resources have actually 

more than doubled by the addition of the seabeds under the Exclusive Economic Zone. So this is an enormous resource that we are 

looking at here, and the need to go ahead and develop and find 

ways of characterizing and understanding the seabeds and mineral 

resources of the seabeds is extremely important. 

And as in the last 10 years or so, our own government efforts 

have decreased so they have picked up overseas, and we are in the 

case now of saying, "Wait a minute. We are going to be in the following mode here. We should be leading." We have a tremendous 

amount of information and skill and equities built up over these 

years that we are in danger of losing. MMTC is the last National 

program in existence which deals specifically with seabed minerals. 

And so what we also have between Hawaii and Mississippi is actually two very, very fine natural environmental laboratories within which these minerals exist. The one in Hawaii is in the Pacific 

Ocean, and this looks at the island environment and the deep seabed environment, particularly the spreading centers off the California and Oregon coasts. 

In the Mississippi area, of course, we have the Gulf Coast and 

the Atlantic so that together the two combined institutes offer a 

very, very strong base on which to build and continue to build this 

research effort of ours. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I would be 

very pleased to answer any questions in these areas. 

Mr. WoOLSEY. If I might continue on with this--

Mr. CALVERT. You have some additional time there since it is the 

two of you together so go ahead and take what time you need. 

Mr. WOOLSEY. Thank you. There are possibly questions as to, 

why these two programs, Mississippi and Hawaii, are different 

from many of the other big-name programs that you hear a lot 

about. And we certainly don't mean in any way to cast disparagingly on these programs. They are really top-notch; for instance, 

Scripps Institute of Oceanography, Woods Hole Institute of Oceanography, we work with individual of these groups quite closely; 

They are, however involved primarily in science and the scientific 

aspects of the sea. Our programs are more nuts and bolts, handson technology, and as such, we have endeared ourselves to many 

of the Interior agencies, industry and the military as well, because 
7 

we have been able to identify problems through our close associa-. 

tions. We go to the shop and design and build these systems. You 

might say, well, what is unique about all of this? A good recent example took place a few weeks ago. We had a call from the Corps 

of Engineers, New York District, where we were asked about a special drill that we have designed in cooperation with a former MMSjoint Interior project conducted off the Georgia-Carolina coast to 

evaluate an agricultural-grade phosphate that occurs in abundance 

there. 

Well, this same drilling system is more of a specialized, robotic, 

remote-operated system that has a capability of taking discrete 

samples down to about 30 feet below the seabed. This is the only 

system of its kind in the country, and here we get a call down in 

Mississippi to go up to New York to put this drill to work. 

The Corps knows of our system through their office in Vicksburg 

with which we have one of our adjunct professors, Dr. Richard 

Lewis, who is a researcher with the Corps of Engineers, has explained the uniqueness of this system to his associates. So, we are 

scheduled now, if everything clears with the progress of this 

project, to go up to New York in July. 

As explained to me, they are trying to find areas in the sand and 

gravel province off of New York Harbor to dig a large borrow pit. 

The borrow pit then would be the repository for about 100 million 

cubic yards of muck from New York Harbor; it would then be 

capped over with clay. And so as I understand it we are to drill 

the control holes that will help the Corps define the terms of the 

contract, which they would let to industry to actually perform the 

work. 

So we get calls like this quite of ten, both Hawaii in their realm, 

and we in our own. We do these jobs with the actual systems that 

go down and sample. We also have-as one paper attachment refers, cutting-edge technology using acoustics to define the characteristics of these sand bodies and other mineral deposits which the 

Minerals Management Service and other agencies are interested in. 

So with that, Mike, Mr. Cruickshank and I will be happy to answer 

any specific questions that you might have. 

[Prepared statement of Dr. J. Robert Woolsey and Dr. Michael J. 

Cruickshank may be found at the end of hearing.] 

Mr. CALVERT. Thank you, doctor. Before we get to that, Mr. John 

Rigg, Consultant, out of Arlington, Virginia. 

STATEMENT OF JOHN B. RIGG, SR., CONSULTANT, ARLINGTON, 

VIRGINIA 

Mr. RIGG. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have submitted a written 

statement which I would appreciate you receiving. I just wanted to 

confirm what basically has been said here at the table today. This 

is a very unique program, and it is one of the last programs that 

is addressing the technical and environmental issues in offshore 

from a viewpoint of see if we can make the thing work with something new and something creative. 

I think the biggest concern right now I have is for the sand and 

gravel that used to be utilized by the Corps of Engineers for replenishment and renourishment of beaches, and they don't do that anymore. They are cutting that all out. And we have got to address 
8 

that issue, and Bob has got the equipment and tools. And I think 

he is going to be needed especially off of California and Florida and 

the East Coast and the rest of the Gulf. It is a real problem now, 

and we need to keep addressing it. 

And out at Hawaii, I just think that unit is one of the finest little 

programs going. They have more knowledge of these minerals in 

the deep ocean than anyplace else that I am familiar with. And 

this information is going to be priceless to us. And the minute you 

shut something down, everything gets lost I have found in the past. 

But I appreciate the opportunity to be here, and I would be happy 

to answer any questions. 

[Prepared statement of Mr. Rigg may be found at the erid of 

hearing.] 

Mr. CALVERT. Certainly, and your written record will be submitted for the record without objection. 

Mr. RIGG. Thank you. 

Mr. CALVERT. Again, I thank all of you, and when Mr. Abercrombie asked me to have this hearing, I always remember this subject 

when I was a young lad probably a few years ago. When the 

GLOMAR Explorer was being constructed, and I don't know whatever happened to that ship, but for other purposes supposedly, but 

I remember they were taking these manganese nodules I guess 

right off the coast of Hawaii, but actually they were to do other 

things. But I always remembered that and was always fascinated 

by the subject. And so I am glad that you are here today to testify 

and answer a few questions. · Obviously, what we are talking about is applicable technology, 

and there is a debate here of basic science and applicable technology and dollars and budgets and so forth. Eventually, you must 

all believe that at some point that it is going to be cost effective 

in order to go out and get-primarily mining materials I am talking about right now and putting aside beach sand and replenishing 

coastal areas, which is certainly important also to California-but 

for minerals. 

How soon do you think that this will be a profitable endeavor 

would be my first question? And, secondly, has some mining companies or private enterprise are looking down the road? Are they 

assisting you in coming up with some dollars for this applicable 

technology? Any of you. Mr. CRUICKSHANK. Mr. Chairman, the present forecast for when 

these things will be profitable, there is quite a bit. Basically, there 

are five different areas or types of mineral deposits offshore. There 

are the manganese oxides which consist of the nodules and the 

crusts. There are metalliferous sulfides which occur also in deep 

water in many parts of the ocean-in fact, all over the oceans. 

And there are phosphorites for fertilizers which occur on the surface and underneath the seabeds, and there are sands and gravels 

and construction materials, plus a number of heavy minerals such 

as gold alluvials, iron and titanium minerals such as that. So individually these things are-when you look at them, some are viable 

today. Others may take 15-20 years. It looks like in 50 years' time 

there will be a general active industry, and it may not start here. 

It may start somewhere else. For example, the Cook Islands arealready looking to take some deep water minerals. 
9 

But in the United States, there are certainly many continental 

shelf minerals which are available only with the discovery of the 

deposits-characterization of the deposits. And the processes involved are ones, of course, which take quite a little time to develop. 

The primary trigger may well be the fact that environmentally 

it may be more benign to go offshore than it is to dig up farmlands 

and forest areas as we have in many parts of this country here. So 

I would say that depending on discoveries that it could be anytime 

from five years to 50 years there will be generally increasing activity in terms of minerals development in this area. 

And you asked about companies assisting us. In fact, in Hawaii, 

we have a contract with the BHP of Australia looking at the 

tailings from some of the oxide minerals and the uses of them. As 

these uses of the minerals become more varied and more studied, 

then it makes the minerals themselves more useful or more economic to look at. And I think that Bob could probably address a 

lot of the-some of the other things in terms of placers and heavy 

mineral sands which occur in many places. 

Mr. WOOLSEY. Mr. Chairman, if I may add to these very knowledgeable remarks of my colleague, indeed at this very moment, 

there are requests by several States-New York, Florida, Virginia-! believe that is right, isn't it, Mr. Kitsos?-for sand and 

gravel in the Outer Continental Shelf. These States are much in 

need of these sand and gravel resources for the stabilization of 

their heavily eroded coastlines which have developed over the past 

few years. So indeed the need is very present and very real, and 

there are ongoing dredging operations now. 

We feel that in another area some of our new concepts and 

dredge system knowledge can greatly reduce the cost of supplying 

these sands and gravels to the shore and can do so in a much more 

environmentally friendly way. Some of our technologies, which we 

have been working on, reduce turbidity, generated by dredging, 

more than 50 percent. 

In one of the more, well-publicized marine mining activities of recent years, the Bema Operation in Alaska, those ofshore Nome gold 

deposits are world class. They are very good deposits, but it was 

an application of a wrong system-the wrong system was applied 

to that operation. And had the right-proper system been put in 

place it could have been a great sucess I think Mr. Rigg can also 

comment on this because he called me in on that project very early 

in its infancy, and having come from the dredge mining industry 

in Southeast Asia, I was appalled by the selection of the Bema, and 

it couldn't even mine tin effectively in Indonesia. So, again, it is the 

case of the wrong system at the wrong place at the wrong time, 

and it has given marine mining in Alaska a bad name. 

So we need several things. We have the. markets in place for 

sand and gravel. The market was there for gold, but it was the 

wrong system. I think we will see more and more of these operations going into effect. Phosphate is another area that the Minerals Management Service, the GS, and the Bureau of Mines was 

very interested in some years ago because we all know that this 

very valuable Agricultural resource is on a very sharp decline in 

this country. 

25-635 - 96 - 2 
10 

We are already beginning to see our imports surpass our exports. And by the next century, we will be totally dependent upon imports 

when we have a world of phosphates right off the Georgia-Carolina 

coast that could be mined in a profitable way. And it can also be 

done in an environmentally sound way. One of the things that you mentioned, manganese nodules, we 

have an ongoing program at the University of Mississippi at this 

time looking at some very novel uses of these. We find that we can 

use them as a filter material to extract up to 98 percent of sulphur 

dioxide from coal-fired utilities burning high-sulphur coal. We can 

then take this filter material made from the nodules with its absorbed sulphur, subject it to hot water, and then take out the strategic mineral commodities-manganese, cobalt, and nickel. We can 

recover these very efficiently and effectively. 

None of these mineral commodities, very vital to our industries, 

are produced in this country. We import all of them. We could become self-sufficient in manganese, cobalt, and nickel. And then 

there is also a byproduct, copper, as well. 

The acid concentrate that we would take from that, we could 

treat phosphate rock that occurs in the same vicinity of this manganese material, in which the manganese has replaced-we think 

these manganese nodules have replaced the preexisting phosphate. 

We can treat the phosphate with the acid residue and come up 

with a superphosphate fertilizer. And all this could-fit into an economic framework using barge transportation right into the heartland of our country. So these concepts and technologies are real, and they could be put into practice at almost anytime. Mr. CALVERT. Thank you, doctor. Mr. Abercrombie. 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I want 

to move to Dr. Kitsos first and then follow up on some of the commentary already given to us. Dr. Kitsos, I am sensitive to your outline with respect to the budgetary constraints and considerations. 

And, obviously, I am sensitive to it, not only for this agency, but 

for every agency. 

And I want to make it clear on behalf of Mr. Wicker and myself 

and for the record that we are not supporting taking existing 

money from MMS's budget to fund the MMTC program. However, the question I then pose to you, would MMS continue to support 

the MMTC program if Congress included funds in direct support of 

the MMTC program? 

Mr. KITSOS. Mr. Abercrombie, if Congress directed funds for the 

MMTC program, particularly if they were funds in addition to the 

MMS budget, clearly I believe the Bureau would support the continuation of the program. 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE. So is it a correct statement then, inherently, 

you see the value of this program? The funding question is not one 

based on merit, but rather one based on funding priorities and 

availability of funding? 

Mr. KITSOS. That is correct. Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Thank you. 

Mr. KITSOS. There is no question about the merit of the program. Mr. ABERCROMBIE. And am I correct in stating that this is the 

scenario that the MMTC program has been operating under since 

1988? 
11 

Mr. KITsos. It has been operating through congressionally directed funds since its inception. That is right. 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE. So what we are attempting through this bill 

is not without precedent. Right? This has been the manner in 

which we have pursued the program. The justification for it, et 

cetera, has been established in 1988 and repeated by various Congresses? 

Mr. KITSOS. That is correct. 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Thank you. Now, I would like to know what 

your opinion then is of the quality of the research that the MMTC 

program produces in terms of efficient use of marine mineral resources and, more particularly, the context established by Dr. 

Woolsey and Dr. Cruickshank in terms of prospective use? 

Mr. KITSOS. Mr. Abercrombie, as you know, the MMTC program 

is relatively new to MMS, although some staff persons in our office 

have had a longstanding relationship, being on its advisory council 

and so on. They have known Mike Cruickshank and Bob Woolsey 

for many years. In response to the transfer of the Centers to MMS, 

I have had an opportunity to look into some of the research and 

some of the projects completed. 

In short, I think that the work carried out by both Centers is excellent. They are tough, mission-oriented, applied research institutions. As Bob has indicated, they are not institutions of basic 

science but more of applied science, of engineering and instrumentation and mineral resource characterization in our EEZ. 

If you look at their testimony in great detail, you will see all the 

projects that are outlined. It is my understanding that in the marine minerals research community, the work of both Centers is 

highly regarded. 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Thank you very much. Could I move then to 

Mr. Rigg. I am interested----could you just for the record of the committee provide a little background in terms of consultancies with 

which you have been associated or are currently engaged? 

Mr. RIGG. Thank you. I just recently retired from Interior last 

year, and I have done some work in some islands and things since 

then. But my information on this program goes back not to '64 with 

Mike Cruickshank next door, but to '68 and '69 when the National 

Academy came up with a report preparatory for President Johnson 

to declare the Decade of the Ocean from 1970 to '80, which was 

also supported by President Nixon. And that was a high hope at 

that time, and that is when I got interested in it. 

And I have ran the offshore program for five years for MMS 

when we established Dr. Keith to his office, and we also established our relationship on the Hill of the centers over at the Bureau of Mines, I was active in that. 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Thank you very much. And I wanted to establish that premise although you have, obviously, given Mr. Calvert 

your background, but I wanted to have that on the record for this 

question that I wanted to pursue. 

In the summary given to us by the committee staff with respect 

to marine mining research-the institutes-one of the points made, 

and I wanted you to comment on the validity of this, and I think 

you have almost already by your previous answer, Congress funded 

research efforts to maintain the U.S. lead in deep ocean mining 
12 

technology after President Reagan ordered establishment of the 

200 nautical mile wide Exclusive Economic Zone beyond the traditional territorial boundaries. 

Would it be your opinion that the activities underway in Hawaii 

and Mississippi are in furtherance of that goal of maintaining deep 

ocean mining technology leadership? 

Mr. RIGG. Yes, sir, they are. 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE. And so this is something that we can safely 

say has transcended particular Administrations. Right? Be they 

Republican or Democratic? 

Mr. RIGG. It has transcended. I was pleased to see the picture 

of Chairman Wayne N. Aspinall on the wall when I came because 

he was Chairman of the Public Land Law Review Commission in 

the late '60's and early '70's in which they had a full chapter on 

the OCS and the hard minerals program and the deep sea mining, 

and it was a bipartisan effort at that time. 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Would you say that it is a fair statement that 

seabed mineral activity, whether it is economic at the present time 

or not though-that seabed minerals constitute an economic resource not generally acknowledged in terms of public awareness at 

this time? 

Mr. RIGG. That is correct. The only one that is acknowledged 

that is in production domestically is the world's largest fraash sulphur mine in the Gulf of Mexico, which is in the OCS under the 

OCS Lands Act leasing. 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Thank you. Then let me move quickly if you 

will just give me a moment or two more, Mr. Chairman, to Dr. 

Woolsey and Dr. Cruickshank. 

Dr. Woolsey, in your very valuable series of testimony here, including the attachments, you note after the history of the Marine 

Minerals Technology Center that in commenting on the Basic Minerals Institute program, that one of the antecedents that forms the 

foundation for your mission is that under the program established 

under Title 3 of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act 

in 1977, one of the intentions there was to reverse a National decline in numbers of students graduating in the fields of mining and 

minerals engineering. 

And, more particularly, I am extracting from this that marine 

minerals engineering would be part and parcel of that tasking. 

Would that be correct? 

Mr. WOOLSEY. That is correct. That is certainly true. 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE. So isn't one of the vital elements of the existing programs in Hawaii and Mississippi to encourage and, in fact, 

promote graduate student activity leading to engineering and related professional activities and capacities? 

Mr. WOOLSEY. That is true, and it has been very successful. We 

have a professional post-graduate program where we draw in top 

students from all over the country to partake of some of the practical experience that we offer. And it has been very effective. 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Would it be a fair statement that the record 

would sustain, if examined, to say that both the public sector and 

the private sector have benefited directly from the graduate work 

study and experience both in Mississippi and Hawaii? 
13 

Mr. WooLSEY. That is certainly true, and certainly one of the 

strong points of our program is that, particularly with our Federal 

agencies, we can go out on call at almost a moment's notice; put 

our equipment and our research vessels in operation. We can do 

this with very little concern regarding logistics and cost on the part of the agency. And not only do we do this economically, but, as you 

suggested, we turn out a very fine byproduct of quality students 

trained in these various skills that our young people are going to 

need, to pursue these interests in the next century. Mr. ABERCROMBIE. And the private industry, of course, can take 

advantage of that activity-excuse me-that experience. Right? 

Mr. WooLSEY. We work hand-in-glove with private industry as 

you might see in that third attachment, at almost anytime we go 

out, we will have private industry and/or someone representing a 

Federal agency and always a graduate student-one or two or 

three-along. So they get this hands-on experience from all of these 

different sectors. Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Then in the context that Chairman Calvert 

established, and which I have pursued in my commentary and 

questioning to this point, could both of you say for the record what 

your perception is today of the ranking of our capacity in the United States to compete on the level of work and the development of 

technology with the rest of the world? 

You cited in your various testimonies, for example, China, Korea, Japan all steadily advancing their commitment to marine minerals 

research and technology. So I would like to have your evaluation 

of our ranking today as compared to that which was set before you 

from 1977 and in '88 on. Mr. WOOLSEY. I think Dr. Cruickshank can best answer those 

questions. I know that we have enjoyed a superior position in the 

past. We are threatened with losing that lead. Dr. Cruickshank has 

just recently come back from the Far East. He has some very interesting and sometimes disturbing information, and if I might turn 

the podium over. Mr. CRUICKSHANK. Thank you. It is obvious to me that we still 

have the lead position. These countries of Japan, Korea, China 

come to us for information and for assistance in many of these as- pects. But they themselves are-each country is spending tens or 

hundreds of millions of dollars each year on their own programs. So where we still have a technical lead and a capacity to advance 

at anytime given the resources, we are in danger of losing it if we 

stand back and watch this go by. · Mr. ABERCROMBIE. So is it fair to say, and I guess I should ask 

Mr. Rigg really in this regard as kind of the expert witness here---

Mr. Rigg, is it fair to say that the amount of money that we are 

presently expending is-1 don't know any other word to use-minuscule compared to what other Nations are now doing, and that we 

have been getting in these programs an enormous benefit far in ex- cess of the investment that has been made in terms of the taxpayer dollar? 

Mr. RIGG. There is no question about that. In the first place, we 

are going on the cheap in our research funding, and we also are 

receiving a great bit of information from these other Nations who 

are spending tons of money out there, but they do come to us. 
14 

On the education thing, the labor ought to be more. Down at the 

University of Texas in Austin, they had a post-graduate program. 

All of these post-graduate students were from other countries than 

the United States, and much of them were from India who were 

very serious about. getting programs going in the deep ocean mining off India. 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Well, let me go back, if you will just indulge 

me a moment more, Mr. Chairman. Dr. Cruickshank and/or Dr. 

Woolsey, what is the status of graduate student application and 

numbers now in terms of what you think is needed over the next 

50 years? 

Mr. CRUICKSHANK. The number of graduate students that come 

specifically to study ocean mining is not great because we don't 

have the size of program to warrant that. And I think that what 

we are doing is looking at this multidisciplinary effort to bring students in from other fields and to teach them about ocean mining, 

and then they go back out and spread the word or do their own 

thing until the time comes when they can be usefully employed in 

the U.S. in these areas. 

But our students come mostly from ocean engineering. We also 

have them from mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and 

even law and business school so that it is a very broad and varied 

program that we have at this time. Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Are you attracting though the numbers that 

you think will likely be needed given the outlines that you and Dr. Woolsey gave us as to what the activity is liable to be over the next 

half century? 

Mr. CRUICKSHANK. Yes. We have done that, and the numbers are 

quite substantial provided that the forecasts are true. And these 

have been up and down over the last couple of decades depending 

on what is happening in the industry. 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Dr. Woolsey? 

Mr. WOOLSEY. Yes. In our own program, over the last few years, 

we have trained four-turned out four, top-notch Ph.D. students 

and about double that number at the Master's level. They are all 

gainfully employed. One of the highlights I think of our program 

and strengths of it is, we take young people usually with backgrounds in science or engineering, and we stress the environmental-you might say the environmental technology and its importance in this role. Because all we have to do is look out offshore 

and see these activities now that are currently in progress where 

we are providing sand for beach nourishment, shoreline protection, 

and this sort of thing. And we can point out all the various serious 

problems that are not being addressed. And so we hope that we are 

training a vanguard of young people that are environmentally 

aware, as well as good engineers and technicians. 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE. So is the panel all in agreement that the bottom line here is that a record has been well established in terms 

of efficient use of the dollars allocated by the Congress, and that 

we can make a case to the Congress to continue this funding? 

Mr. WooLSEY. I would certainly think that, you know, being with 

this every day it is just extremely obvious to us. I wish it were 

more obvious to others because it is the very vitality of our industrial-based industries that are at stake in this. We are talking 
15 

about jobs, exports, imports. You might say that the wealth of 

States and Nations relate to these natural resources and their wise 

use. And as they say down in my part of the country, if you don't 

grow it or dig it out of the ground or catch it from the sea, it 

doesn't exist. And I think we have lost sight of these basic truths 

of basic economic factors here in our endeavor to boost service industries. Well, these service industries can't exist without a basis 

in resources, and we need to look at the sustenance of this resource-based industry and do so in a wise and environmentally 

sound way. 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Thank you very much, doctor. In the absence 

of any objection from the others on the panel, I will let that stand 

as a summary of the questioning period that I have engaged in, 

Mr. Chairman, and I thank you very much. 

Mr. CALVERT. I just have a couple of questions. Then I have got 

to go onto the floor. Dr. Woolsey, I agree with you. If it is not 

mined or farmed or come from the sea, there isn't really anything 

around, and that is certainly very important. You described some 

research advances that were made through the years in the Marine 

Minerals Technology Center's Continental Shelf Division. If the 

Federal funds were not available hypothetically, do you believe 

that sufficient industry or State funds would have been forthcoming to fund what was necessary to make those advances? 

Mr. WOOLSEY. No, I don't think so because here we have a very 

unique situation. This whole concept of offshore mineral resources 

and mining is extremely new, particularly to our industry. As you 

know, the mining industry is basically very conservative. They 

have investments in onshore-type equipment. Even though we have 

provided them with numbers, demonstrating the advantages of 

working offshore, particularly for sand and gravel, this means a 

whole capital outlay for new equipment. They vitally need this 

input from government-Federal and State-to encourage them 

and give them some degree of stability, to move off into these other 

areas. By this, I mean they can't really afford to do the long-term 

research and development that is needed to move into a totally different realm that they aren't familiar with. And I think that is 

where we can provide a vital role. I think that is my concept of 

where government does best, not doing the day-to-day mission-oriented programs, but the long-term mission-oriented-type work that 

government does best, looking down the road, 20, 30, 40, 50 years. 

And with that type of support, I think we can show our industries 

that this is the way of the future, and at the same time we can 

do this and instill in them the need to pursue this in an environmentally sound way as well. 

Mr. CALVERT. Thank you. Mr. Rigg, obviously, from your resume 

you have been in the private sector and the public sector, now retired from the government. And as your current role as a consultant, do you see realistically that the mining industry and materials 

industry supporting the goals of this institute and demonstrating 

that with some kind of matching grants or supports or contracts? 

Mr. RIGG. Well, now, Mike gave the example of BHP supporting 

his program out there. I don't know that the mining companies 

have-this is a top, high priority for their research dollars or for 
16 

their foundation funds at this time. But, then again, I don't know 

that they have been asked for their support. Mr. CALVERT. OK. My last question is for Director Kitsos. Within 

the royalty in offshore minerals management budget of MMS is the 

environmental studies program line item amounting to just less 

than approximately 13 million this year, and the Administration is 

asking for a level of funding, as you know, in fiscal year '97. 

I understand these studies are preparatory to leasing for oil, gas, 

and mineral resources. Can you tell us whether or not, in your 

opinion, there is room in this budget for a cooperative research effort such as this institute represents? In other words, can we get 

the money out of that? . Mr. KITSOS. I think the short answer, Mr. Chairman, is there is 

probably no room in the environmental studies budget. That budget, a few years ago, was at $30-$33 million. It is now down to $13 

million. The leasing program has contracted but so has the environmental studies program. Many of the projects funded are 

multiyear projects so that they are in the second or third year of 

funding. 

Very few new studies are being funded under it because of limited resources, and a lot of that money is being used now on existing platform safety and other types of important production-related 

activity of the Bureau. I would like to submit more detailed information for the record on the environmental studies program, but 

I think that it would be very difficult to try to fund this out of that 

part of the MMS budget. 

Mr. CALVERT. I just point that out as a potential pool of money. With that, I have got to go to the floor. Do you have any other 

questions, Mr. Abercrombie? Thank you very much for your testi- mony and coming some great distances to be with us here today. 

We are adjourned. Thank you. [Whereupon, at 2:56 p.m., the subcommittee was adjourned and 

the following was submitted for the record.] 
17 

104TH CONGRESS H R 3249 2D SESSION 

• • 

To authorize appropriations for a mining institute to develop domestic technological capabilities for the recovery of minerals from the nation's seabed, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 16, 1996 

Mr. ABERCROMBIE (for himself and Mr. WICKER) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Iffisources 

A BILL 

To authorize appropriations for a mining institute to develop 

domestic technological capabilities for the recovery of 

minerals from the nation's seabed, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SEABED MINERALS. 

4 (a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.-Section 

5 2(a) of Public Law 98-409 (30 U.S.C. 1222(a)) is amend6 ed by adding the following at the end thereof: 

7 "There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary 

8 not more than $1,200,000 for each of the fiscal years after 
18 

2 

1 fiscal year 1996 to be made available by the Secretary to 

2 an institute experienced in investigating the shallow and 

3 deep seabed as a source for nonfuel minerals to be used 

4 by the institute to assist in developing domestic techno5 logical capabilities required for the location of, and the ef6 ficient and environmentally sound recovery of, minerals 

7 (other than oil and gas) from the nation's shallow and 

8 deep seabed.". 

9 (b) SHORT TITLE.-Section 11 of Public Law 98-

10 409 (30 U.S.C. 1201 note) is amended to read as follows: 

11 "SEC. 11. SHORT TITLE. 

12 This Act may be cited as the "Mining and Mineral 

13 Resources Institutes Act.". 

0 
19 

Response to Mr. Calvert's question to Dr. Tom Kitsos at the May 9, 1996 hearing on 

H.R. 3249, to authorize appropriations for a Mining Institute 

Question: Are funds available within the MMS Environmental Studies Program budget to 

support the Mining Institute? 

Answer: As discussed by Dr. Kitsos, the .budget for the MMS Environmental Studies Program 

(ESP) has decreased from over $30 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 1982 to about $13 million in 

FY 1996 (see attached figure). During this period, the demands on the ESP budget have not 

decreased at an equivalent rate. At the current level of funding, the Environmental Studies 

Program is only supporting the highest priority research needed for near-term information needs 

of the offshore oil and gas, and marine minerals programs. Many other important but lower 

priority studies addressing longer-term information needs must be deferred for possible future 

funding. With the current budget, the ESP does not possess the fiscal flexibility required to 

respond to new demands such as support of the Mining Institute. Another consideration is that 

under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act Amendments of 1978, the role of the Environmental 

Studies Program is to collect information on environmental issues as they relate to impacts on 

coastal, human and marine environments, not to conduct technology-related research. 
$35 

$30 

$25 

$20 

$15 

$10 

$5 

$0 

MMS Environmental St

Total Spending By Fis

Millions 

82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 

Fiscal Year 
21 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF DR. J. RoBERT W OOLSEY AND DR. MICHAEL J. 

CRUICKSHANK 

Testimony of 

The Marine Minerals Technology Center 

Dr. ]. Robert Woolsey, Director of the 

Continental Shelf Division 

Dr. Michael]. Cruickshank, Director of the 

Ocean Basins Division 

Before the 

United States House of Representatives 

Committee on Resources 

Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 

The Honorable Ken Calvert, Chairman 

This statement Is respectfully submitted to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral 

Resources In support of House Blll H.R.3249, a bill to authorize appropriations for a marine mining 

research Institute to develop domestic technological capabilities for the exploration, evaluation, 

and recovery of strategic and economic minerals from the nation's seabed, with due regard for 

environmental protection. 

In the last thirty years, It has become apparent that the mineral resources of the world's 

oceans and seas represent an extraordinary addition to the global mineral potential. Based on our 

knowledge of terrestrial deposits and new discoveries offshore, it appears that, area for area, the 

potential for discovery of marine minerals Is generally equivalent to the potential for discovery of 

minerals on land. Considering that the marine environment covers almost three quarters of the 

globe, It may be fairly stated that three quarters of the world's mineral resources lie beneath the 

oceans. At the same time, the Law of the Sea, in force since November 16, 1994, has become a 

major contributing factor In what Is probably the most far reaching redistribution of public lands 

and their natural resources in human history. The concept of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEl's), 

extending at least 200 nautical mfles from territorial baselines, has resulted in a peaceful 

subdivision of jurisdictions which should significantly affect the world's mineral markets and the 

balance of economic powers for as long as we are dependent on the use of mineral raw materials. 

With the addition of the seabeds in the EEl's, the mineral resources base of the U.S. has 

been at least doubled, or In terms of public lands, quadrupled. With regard to the development of 

marine minerals, however, the U.S. Government has done little In the last years to encourage 

partldpatlon of our own industrial partners or demonstrate a strong presence In this field. This 

abrogation of long term responsibilities for critical minerals supplies has been disruptive of 

partnerships among the U.S. and other sdentlfic, industrial and academic communities. If 

continued, It may result In the loss of U.S. Industrial leadership In ocean minerals technology, loss 

of employment, and toss of educational and career opportunities on a significant scale. The U.S. 

technology lead, gained during the decades of the sixties and seventies with major financial 

Investments and strong Industry/government partnerships, is fast disappearing. 

H.R.3249 Is a farsighted bill and focuses on the continuance and strengthening of a unique 

and critical program. The Marine Minerals Technology Center (MMTC) was developed during the 

last decade to perpetuate U.S. leadership in the sustainable development of minerals within the 

Public Lands of the U.S. seabeds and elsewhere. The MMTC has been supported by the 

Department of the Interior through the Bureau of Mines' Mineral Institutes Program as a Generic 

Technology Center for Marine Minerals. Closure of the Bureau has resulted In the total 

curtailment of funds and the program's transfer to the Minerals Management Service. 

The primary purpose of the MMTC Is to promote the environmentally sound and 

sustainable development of mineral resources other than oil and gas of the U.S. Exclusive 
22 

Economic Zone (EEZ), an essentially undeveloped region of seabed extending 200 nautical miles 

offshore and encompassing more territory than the continental U.S. itself. The MMTC includes 

the Continental Shelf Division, located at the University of Mississippi, and the Ocean Basins 

Division at the University of Hawaii, which respectively emphasize shallow and deep water 

resources. Both divisions have successfully linked academia with industry to develop a strong 

technological capability that has placed our nation in a leadership role Internationally In terms of 

underwater technology development as well as environmental protection and mitigation. At the 

same time, quality students have been trained with practical hands-on experience. 

The Continental Shelf Division (CSD) has provided technical support as requested to 

government agencies, academia, and industry. Previous cooperative projects have Included the 

development of a remotely operated drill to reduce sampling costs offshore Alaska, an exploratory 

and environmental research study offshore Oregon, an earthquake damage prediction study in 

Richardson Bay, California, a sand resource investigation offshore Hawaii, the development of a 

seabed remotely operated, core drill for marine mineral and environmental applications. Also, a 

variety of geophysical and geochemical tools for the rapid detection of seafloor mineral deposits 

and environmental pollutants, and a specialized towed underwater vehicle for their efficient 

deployment have been developed. Industry partners have included Western Gold Exploration and 

Mining Company, Inc., Ingersoll-Rand, Inc., DuPont Senegal, Inc., Westinghouse Corporation, and 

many others. Government partners have included the U.S. Bureau of Mines, the Minerals 

Management Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. 

Department of Energy, and various research arms of the U.S. Navy. 

The Continental Shelf Division has funded a number of research affiliate grants each year 

on a competitive basis. Examples of such projects include a project at Louisiana State University 

which used MMTC/CSD technology to Investigate aggregate resources in the northern Gulf of 

Mexico, a similar project at Rice University which utilized new seismic survey methods to locate 

and map offshore sand bodies as potential sources for shoreline stabilization material, and the 

development at the University of Georgia of rapid, underwater, towed systems which determine 

the bottom surface chemistry for environmental characterization and monitoring. Other CSD 

projects of Interest Include the successful partnership with Russian scientists resulting in the 

development and patenting of a unique, low cost, self-cleaning acoustic screen filter (ASF). The 

ASF has demonstrated applications for the continuous separation of suspended micron sized 

organic and inorganic particles from host liquids. A wide scope of applications have been noted, 

ranging from control of dredging induced turbidity to pre- and post-cleanup of industrial process 

waters. Yet another project involves a novel use of manganese nodules recovered from extensive 

surficial deposits on the Blake Plateau (offshore Georgia/South Carolina). Studies show that 

crushed manganese nodules employed as a filter media can successfully scrub sulfur dioxide from 

utility stack gases burning high sulfur coal. The sulfated nodules can then be economically 

processed to liberate the strategic metals cobalt, nickel and manganese; 100 percent of U.S. 

consumption being Imported. Copper is also recoverable, with the total process rendering byproduct sulfuric add. An added bonus is the proximity of phosphate rock (which the manganese 

nodules have replaced) which can be recovered and barged along with the nodules. The 

phosphate rock can be treated with the by-product add to produce a form of superphosphate 

fertilizer for direct field application. This technology may be of particular interest to midwestern, 

farm belt-Industrial states having abundant high sulfur coal and access to Inland water 

transportation. 

Through these projects, and others like them, the CSD has provided assistantships and 

part-time positions for graduate students at the affiliate Universities as well as the University of 

Mississippi. The CSD also established a post-graduate degree program for qualified professional 

candidates with M.S. degrees whose research has established them In the field of marine geology. 

These Individuals may enroll in directed studies coursework toward a Ph.D. at the University of 

Mississippi and utilize approved, professional projects for credit. Since 1988, four students have 
23 

graduated from this program, and two others are currently completing their studies. The CSD also 

maintains an extensive reference library for marine geology and marine mining and presents 

technological developments at a number of conferences and meetings each year, Including the 

annual Underwater Mining Institute, the premier International meeting In this field, which Is 

partially funded by the MMTC. 

The research focus at the Ocean Basins Division (OBD) has been on tools and techniques 

for characterization of deep seabed metalliferous oxides, metalliferous sulfides and tropical 

carbonate sands with a long term emphasis on potential minerals development and related 

environmental aspects. Specific projects supported by the OBD have Included the development of 

a free-fall seafloor hard substrate corer, a study of the roughness· of cobalt rich crusts, which has 

aided in the design of other seabed systems, the design of support cables for remotely operated 

submarine vehicles used for seabed characterization, the characterization of tropical, reef-derived 

sands for beach replenishment and coastal protection, the characterization of cobalt-rich crust 

deposits In the Johnson Island EEZ, and the location and mapping of unexploded ordnance In 

offshore ranges scheduled for decommissioning. Industry and government partners have Included 

Ocean Minerals Company, Edward K. Noda and Associates, Marine Development Associates, Inc., 

the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and various research arms of the 

U.S. Navy. The OBD has a strong lnternatlonalllnkage with other researchers, particularly in Asia 

and the Pacific. 

The projects conducted by the OBD have supported graduate research on all facets of 

marine resources development. OBD researchers, serving on the faculty of the School of Ocean 

and Earth Science and Technology of the University of Hawaii, have taught or participated In 

courses In geology, oceanography, and environmental science. Since 1988, five Ph.D. students and 

nine M.Sc. students have graduated and the OBD has offered courses and workshops through the 

United Nations and to several foreign governments and Industrial organizations on request. Since 

1991, the OBD has assumed full responsibility for the administration and technical programming 

of the Underwater Mining Institute, which provides the opportunity for leaders in government, 

industry and academia to meet each year and discuss prospects for sustainable marine minerals 

development. 

The library and resource center at the OBD houses one of the most complete multi-media 

collections in the U.S. on marine mineral resources and associated technology. In addition, nearly 

10,000 catalogued samples of marine biota and minerals are available for study as well as 

thousands of line kilometers of geophysical data. The resource center Is available to students 

affiliated with the OBD, and others including researchers In government, industry, and academia. 

The Continental Shelf and Ocean Basins Divisions each receive matching financial support 

from their respective states of Mississippi and Hawaii. Through the Mississippi Mineral Resources 

Institute, facilities are provided as well as salaries, either wholly or In part for the CSD Director, 

Associate Director and all CSD employees. The state of Hawaii has provided research facilities, two 

full time positions, and funding for other research and support personnel. Continuance of States 

support, however, Is contingent on the continuance of federal funding. 

Minerals conservation and protection of the environment are global matters of concern to 

all citizens. U.S. leadership In these fields Is readily apparent to anyone Involved with the 

International minerals Industry and it is encouraging to see the lessons learned here In the U.S., 

sometimes at great cost, being applied all over the world. S.l194 and H.R.3249 provide, at little 

cost, the opportunity for U.S. institutions to retain this leadership in marine minerals development 

and to realize a slgnlficant return on the Invested capital In both economic and environmental 

terms. Mr. Chairman, we strongly urge you to support H.R.3249, which nurtures the seedling 

from which a strong U.S. leadership In this critical field will prevail. 
24 

Attachment 1 

History of the 

Marine Minerals Technology Center 

Technology development for minerals In the deep and coastal oceans was initiated In 1964 

by the U.S. Bureau of Mines at the Marine Minerals Technology Center at Tiburon, a new fadllty 

within the Bureau's Research Division. The MMTC was directed to encourage and assist in the 

development of a viable marine mining Industry, privately owned and operated for profit. 

Research at Tiburon focused on environmental disturbance prediction, fundamental technology, 

and advisory services, In consort with members of U.S. industry, the academic community and 

other government agendes. On the formation of NOAA In 1969, the MMTC was transferred to 

the Environmental Research Laboratory division of that agency and in 1973 as a political 

expedient the Center was closed on 30 day's notice. 

During the hiatus which followed, government marine minerals Interests were pursued as a 

number of discrete programs. They were located in NOAA, the Office of the Secretary of the 

Interior, the Conservation Division of the USGS, the Bureau of Land Management, subsequently 

the Minerals Management Service, Office of International and Marine Minerals (INTERMAR), the 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Mines and the Department of State. These efforts 

were largely uncoordinated and largely managerial, but some research efforts were sustained, 

particularly by USGS for marine geology, Corps of Engineers for environmental effects of coastal 

dredging, NOAA for environmental effects of deep seabed mining, and the Bureau of Mines for the 

processing of marine minerals. 

Industry meantime pursued their interests In deep seabed mining through the seventies 

when most of the development was put on hold due to a mix of metal downturn and political 

risk. Changing government priorities led federal marine programs to be neglected In the U.S. over 

the next decade while a gradual increase of interest by other nations led to significant marine 

minerals programs in Japan, Korea, China, India, Europe, southern Africa, and the Padfic. 

A combination of academic and congressional insight finally resulted in 1988 in the 

funding of a small but revitalized MMTC, managed by the Bureau of Mines through their Mineral 

Institutes Program as a national Generic Mineral Technology Center. The Universities of both 

Mississippi and Hawaii were involved in developing the program and strong international linkages 

were established between the MMTC and advanced research partners tn Russia, United Kingdom, 

France, Canada, countries of the Padfic Basin and Rim, japan, China, Korea, and India. These 

established linkages represent a significant opportunity to re-establish leadership by the U.S. 

The subsequent demise of the MIP and the Bureau led to the present situation while 

hearings In 1994 on S.ll94, which included such speakers ad Admiral james Watkins and undersea 

explOrer Robert Ballard, clearly Indicated the United States was in danger of loosing pre-eminence 

In marine minerals to these other nations. As Congressman Rahall so sucdnctly stated in 1988, 

"When we speak of international competitiveness, we often fail to emphasize the fundamental 

importance the education of our young players in this aren~ President Kennedy may have set a 

manned lunar landing as a national priority, but without a body of trained professionals this feat 

could not have been accomplished. The same applies to our current concems in the areas of 

mineral resource competitiveness and dependency." 
25 

Attachment 2 

Comments on the Relative Merits of 

the Marine Minerals Technology Center 

Versus 

the Basic Mineral Institute Program 

In response to a spectflc request by the Subcommittee Chairman, we wish to briefly 

comment on the merits of reauthorization of the Marine Minerals Technology Center (MMTC) 

relative to reauthorization of the former Mineral Institute Program (MIP) of the erstwhile Bureau of 

Mines. As a former National Chairman of the MIP program and a Co-Director the MMTC, I can 

refer to both of these worthy programs from firsthand experience: 

1. The mineral Institutes program established by law under Title III of the Surface Mining 

Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, was Intended to reverse a national decline In the 

numbers of students graduating In the fields of mining and minerals engineering. Some 30 

state Institutes, eligible for allotment grants to support students, were established at 

qualified universities. 

2. The Generic Centers program was established In 1982 when Congress transferred the 

program to the Bureau of Mines, urged a reduction of the number of Institutes and 

required submission of a comprehensive plan for lnstit,ute consolidation. The Bureau 

responded with the creation of 'Centers of Generic Mineral Technology' to focus research 

funded through the MIP In a specific area of broad applicability across the minerals 

Industry. Each center, which might Involve more than one Institute, would be 

headquartered In one mineral Institute. Four centers were established in mine systems 

design and ground control, pyrometallurgy, comminution, and mineral Industry waste 

treatment and recovery. The following year a fifth center was created for respirable dust. 

The number of institutes was not reduced. 

3. The Marine Minerals Technology Center was established independently by Congress In 

1988 to encourage the development of mineral resources other than oil and gas in seabeds 

under U.S. jurisdiction. Funding for the MMTC was independent of the MIP authorization 

and was equally divided between the Universities of Mississippi and Hawaii. Originally 

Intended to be located with the Minerals Management Service, the placement of the 

MMTC with the Mineral Institutes Program was done to expedite the administrative 

functions using existing fadlitles. The rigid format of the MIP was not conductve to 

satisfying the research needs of this somewhat complex program, which was multidisdplinary, cross-organizational, and international in scope. 

With the above differences in mind, it should be apparent that the question of marine 

minerals research versus the mineral Institutes is moot. There are separate Issues Involved which 

need to be analyzed, each In their own right. 

Marine minerals research Is substantially directed to a new industry Intimately tied to the 

future of the oceans. Despite their paramount Importance to the future of this nation and the 

future of this planet, the oceans have not recently been given the measure of funding for research 

that they deserve. The recent attempt to disband the oceanic and atmospheric programs of NOAA 

Is a prime example of the seriousness of this problem, which seems to relate to the lack of 

understanding, In lay terms, of the value of ongoing sdentlflc and engineering research. Dr. 

Eaton, Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, has stated In his paper (Eaton, 1996) that 'We must 

explain the benefits of science in language that all can comprehend, and we must cease our 
26 

ineffectual habit of talking exclusively to our fellow scientists ... the demand for water and minerals 

and safe places to live expands. The only way to meet this increasing need in the face of our 

diminishing resoun:es Is to reach outward, to develop partnerships with other agencies In federal, 

state, and local government. with academia, and with industry. If we use our partnerships to 

leverage our investment of people and money, both our science and our society will reap the 

ultimate benefit. • The MMTC program In marine minerals research ls.)ust such a partnership and is 

focused on the future and sustainable development of mineral materials from the ocean 

environment. 

The Mineral Institutes Program as constituted over the last decade was greatly improved by 

the incorporation of the generic centers by the Bureau of Mines. The program, however, was 

woefully underfunded, and these limited funds, being disbursed additionally to the 30 odd 

Institutes which were not reduced in number, did not generally allow the development of viable 

research and development programs. With the continuing budgetary constraints, the program was 

largely restricted to training support. However, from an educator's point of view, any funds at all 

available for student support will always be considered positive. Therefore, the program naturally 

remained popular at the institute level, although held In less regard by Industry, the Department 

of Interior (DO!), and some in Congress, who considered the funding too little, spread too thin 

with minimal accountability. 

Thus, both the marine minerals program and the mineral institutes program have merit in 

their own right, one as a mission oriented R&D program with direct advisory input from industry 

and government research agendes, the other as a valuable support program with training as a 

primary goal and limited project funds for assodated research. The two programs do not 

necessarily overlap, and the question of their funding should be considered independently. The 

old Bureau approach with its micro-management and cumbersome regulations does not fit the 

marine program and may no longer be applicable to the MIP. For the MMTC, the Minerals 

Management Service has similar goals for natural resources development and is an appropriate 

government agency with which to work. By this same logic, it may be that the educational 

aspects driving the MJP would be more appropriately served through an agency dealing more 

directly in matters of education. 
Summary: 

Attachment 3 

MARINE MINERALS TECHNOLOGY CENfER 

CONTINENTAL SHELF DIVISION 

GEOPHYSICAL SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT 

Account #2806 (Continuation) 

Dr.]. Robert Woolsey and Mr. Douglas L. Lockhart 

Technical Progress Report 

For the Period October 1, 1995 - March 31, 1996 

Until recently, geophysical systems were developed under the Cooperative Research 

Program of the Marine Minerals Technology Center/Continental Shelf Division (MMTC/CSD) 

budget. This arrangement was very appropriate since the requirements for geophysical exploration 

tools were driven by CSD cooperative researchers and clients. The result was a very effective 

match between user needs and CSD support. Currently, geophysical systems are developed as a 

project of their own. The emphasis Is still on client needs and technology transfer but now future 

needs of clients are being addressed In a more controlled environment. Two new paths of 

development have been identified In the current proposal: amplitude variation with offset (AVO) 

for the determination of sediment elastic parameters, and integration of high speed (greater than 8 

knots) seismic and sonar systems to reduce acqulsltion time and survey costs. 

The oil Industry has been using AVO processing for years to Identify gas plays, and more 

recently, map changing fluid saturations in producing reservoirs. The latter activity has helped 

create a surge in oil field selsmics and inftll drilling. The success of the AVO technique in the oil 

field indicates that the process is effective and robust. To make AVO processing useful for surveys 

requiring high resolution, source and receiver equipment must be scaled down, acquisition gear 

must be suitable for high repetition rates and high analog to digital (A/D) rates, and navigation 

must be tightened up to sub-meter in real time. With this technology In hand, AVO processing 

can be used to determine sediment properties and to distinguish between sands, clays, and muds. 

High speed acquisition is a feature often requested by CSD's commercial clients, although 

it should prove useful for academic and government users as well. The concept is simple. Survey 

costs are a strong function of ship time. Anything that can be done to reduce ship time will save 

money. Currently, high resolution surveys are run at about 4 knots. This speed is generally fixed 

by signal to noise ratios in the seismic data and resolution issues in the side scan data. Generally 

these problems can be solved by using equipment acquired for the AVO processing along with 

digital acquisition of the sonar data and deployment considerations. 

Accomplishments: 

The CSD has been very active during this reporting period with equipment acquisition and 

integration, surveys and post processing. Major components of the high resolution system for 

AVO have been acquired and put into field use. The CSD has been able to supplement 

geophysical project funds with outside support from the US Navy and private operators to quickly 

assemble a collection of cutting edge components for use in the high resolution multi-channel 

system required for the AVO research. First, a power supply for a high resolution sound source 

was purchased from money donated by a private contractor. Later, the high resolution source, its 

tow vehicle and cables, along with the multi-channel, 3-D, seismic array, was purchased using 

funds from the Navy. These outside providers aided CSD's efforts greatly through nearly $75,000 
28 

In support. All these Items were received In the Fall of 1995, along with GPS hardware and 

software for sub-meter navigation and shot point calculation purchased through Geophysical 

Systems Development. Assembled, these components, along with a high speed, 24 channel 

acquisition system acquired the previous year, form the core of the acquisition system for the A YO 

processing and high speed studies. 

In addition to equipment purchased by CSD, many items have been loaned to MMTC to 

increase our productivity. These items include an OYO G 112 plotter, on loan from DWS 

International, an EPC digital plotter, loaned by EPC Labs, Inc., an ORE Track Point II, loaned by 

DWS, and a Delph-Sonar 4 channel acquisition card for use with an EG&:G DFlOOO side scan 

sonar. Additionally, the OBD has loaned CSD their DF1000 for experimentation throughout the 

reporting period. Modest as they may seem, loaned equipment such as these items go a long way 

toward filling gaps In our inventory and maintaining links with other research organizations. 

Navigation hardware and software purchased under the Cooperative Projects account and 

the Geophysical Systems Development account were assembled late in 1996. Hardware items 

consisted of Trimble 4000RS and 4000DS receivers, radio modems, Coast Guard beacon receivers 

antennas and cabling. The software consisted of Trimble Hydro navigation software. The Trimble 

4000 series receivers are currently being used on land as survey grade instruments. Though they 

aren't typically considered marine products, they function very well offshore as well. Hydro 

software Is essentially a seismic navigation package with added modules for RUV/TUV navigation, 

rig positioning, and multi vessel survey coordination. Together, these hardware and software 

components provide CSD with sub-meter positioning al)d .5 meter shot point intervals required by 

the higher resolution needed for current project development. 

The CSD began the field portion of the reporting period with a trip to St. Petersburg, 

Florida, to demonstrate the sub-meter navigation system to Drs. Stan Locker and AI Hine of the 

University of Southern Florida (USF). Trimble representative Wade jordan also attended to address 

USF's particular navigation needs. The CSD's navigation system was set up as a bench top 

experiment and USF personnel were trained to operate it. The system was then mobilized aboard 

a USF vessel for a week long survey of the Western Coast of Florida. USGS representative, Dana 

Wiese, was also in attendance. In the past, the CSD has found that demonstrations such as these 

help build links between the private sector equipment suppliers and the public sector users, while 

at the same time, advertising CSD's talents and assets. In this case, the demonstration helped 

promote the CSD as a partidpant in an upcoming carbonate reef survey proposed by USF and 

USGS. 

Under a contract won by the Ocean Basins Division (OBD) from the Office of Naval 

Research (ONR), the CSD partldpated in an exploration technology demonstration for unexploded 

ordnance (UXO) recovery. CSD's effort in this study was confined to high resolution, 3-D seismic 

acquisition and post processing for small object detection over a calibrated site at the Padfic 

Miss!le Test Range Facility located at Barking Sands, Kauai, Hawa!l. Since the arrays for the 3-D 

survey could not be manufactured by the mobilization date, the survey was run using existing 

single channel arrays and arrays loaned by Dr. john Anderson at Rice University, Innovative 

Transducers, Inc. (111), and John E. Chance and Assodates. Five parallel lines with a 3 meter cross 

track Interval were collected on each path and the data were processed as single channel data on 

each line. Interpretations were made by looking across multiple lines to distinguish between real 

events and off plane refractions. The resulting data illuminated the complexity of locating small 

objects in a noisy environment that the Navy will face during future tests. Results of the test will 

not be known until the final report is filed at the end of June, 1996. 

During December, 1995, the CSD assisted the OBD in a side scan survey of White Island, 

The Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. The data were acquired using OBD's EG&:G DF1000 digital tow 

fish and CSD's Delph-Sonar recording and processing package. Like the UXO survey earlier in the 
29 

year, this exerdse highlighted the mutual support and assistance that CSD and OBD offer each 

other. The CSD assisted In diving, collecting rock, gas, and water samples, and sonar system 

Installation and operation. A sample of a unique bacteria mat was sampled and returned to the 

University of Mississippi, Pharmacology Department, for screening as a chemical agent against 

AIDS and cancer. During the early spring. OBD's graduate student, Greg Kurras, was Invited to 

the CSD to post process the data from White Island using CSD's processing software. Results of 

the processing. contained In Greg Kurras's Master's Thesis, wfll help date various flows from the 

volcanic Island, while the sample analysis wfll be used to model gold production at this and other 

underwater geothermal regions. The CSD's partldpatlon in the project helped us gain knowledge 

In the digital Interface between the Del ph-Sonar and the DFIOOO digital fish. These elements are 

essential to the high speed survey system currently being studied at the CSD. 

In February of 1996, the CSD demonstrated a side scan mosaldng package, Del ph-Map, to 

engineers from the Westinghouse Mine Counter Measures group. While Westinghouse Is very 

Interested In sonar data processing and management, the CSD Is Interested In a very high speed 

side scan sonar built and operated by Westinghouse for the US Navy. Westinghouse is currently 

seeking a commerdal market for the tow fish and Is willing to talk to CSD about various options. 

Clearly, the high speed fish may be very useful for high speed commerdal surveys. 

Other equipment demonstrations during this reporting period included a DelphSonar/DFlOOO and sub-meter navigation demo at the Corps of Engineers hydrographic convention 

In Mobile Alabama. At the convention, CSD was able to Interface with manufacturers and users of 

high resolution sonar systems from around the US and many from overseas. Interested 

partldpants were invited to tour the RV Kit Jones and take short trips from the pier to see the 

equipment In action. This activity allowed CSD to cement relationships with NOAA, the Corps of 

Engineers, and Westinghouse, among others. 

The final activity of this reporting period was the Initial field work on a relic oyster shell 

exploration and recovery model sponsored by the Minerals Management Service. Both the high 

resolution multi channel seismic was deployed and operated over a known shell reef, followed by 

a side scan sonar survey. The data collected show an obvious correlation between surface shows of 

shell on the sea floor and seismic, sub-bottom records at the same point. This correlation will 

result In a functional exploration model for shell resources. The data are currently being post 

processed as multi-fold data to gain further insight Into reef geometry. Additionally, the seismic 

data will be processed using AVO methodology In an attempt to classify sediments around the reef 

and find a quantitative correlation between reef occurrences and seismic amplitudes. 

Conclusions: 

The Geophysical Systems Development program has always responded to the needs of 

CSD's clients. Although a great deal of research on the AVO processing and high speed survey 

methods was carried out during the year, needs of the users were still met. CSD is now In a 

position to collect quality data for AVO processing. More data will be collected this summer for 

this purpose and 3-D data at high resolutions will be collected for the first time. The multichannel data being collected will be used for high speed towing tests as well. Actual operation of 

high speed seismic will begin this summer, sonar will be added later. 

Essential ingredients of the new systems are on-line and ready for use by existing or new 

clients. As with CSD's original experimentation with single channel systems, the multi 

component, Integrated nature· of the multi-channel system is paying off in terms of flexibfllty, 

mobility, and cost. Surveys and processing streams are being custom designed to meet the needs 

of a wide range of projects and clients. 
30 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF JOHN B. RIGG. SR., 

Statement of John B. Rigg, Sr., Consultant, concerning H.R. 3249 before the Subcommittee on 

Energy and Mineral Resources, House Committee on Resource, House of Representatives, 

May 9, 1996. 

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to offer a few 

observations and comments concerning H.R. 3249, a bill which basically reauthorizes the 

established Marine Minerals Technology Centers (MMTC) and their programs. The MMT 

Centers are located at the University of Mississippi and the University of Hawaii, with funding 

obligated at $1 .2 million annually through FY 1997. 

I appear as a private citizen who has a keen desire to urge you to keep this program going beyond 

FY 1997, because this is the only program addressing both technology and environmental issues 

related to minerals in the sea, which involves university students and is operated with minimum 

funding. The immediate need for beach nourishment is a matter of concern, especially in 

California, Florida, and the states on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, because the U.S. Corps of 

Engineers announced last November they would no longer fund local shoreline protection 

projects. Whether this situation will prevail or not is still unknown, but what is known is that 

states will need the University of Mississippi leadership in addressing other opportunities for 

locating and utilizing material from offshore for beach protection. 

At the University ofHawaii, the knowledge of the location, tenure and environment of deep ocean 

minerals is more comprehensive than anywhere else that I know of. We need to keep this lantern 

of knowledge lit, even though we realize that international mining companies do not believe they 

will address deep ocean mining until after the year 2000. Other nations continue research 

programs on ocean minerals, and the geologic settings in which they occur far beyond what is 

funded here. Yet, the Hawaii Center has been able to utilize it's funds by a factor almost of 

infinity by cooperating with other Nation's research vessels. 

We need the information these MMT Centers, their other university, and private colleages 

produce about the ocean, the sea floor, the environment and minerals because that information 

assists this nation's policy-makers in their deliberations as to our future direction. 

0 

ISBN 0- 16-052991 -3 

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