Japanese Program for Ikp Seabed Mineral Resources DeveIopmen
Authors: Kurushima M. , Kuriyagawa M. , Koyama Nire K. 
Published: October 2008

In the early 70's, an ocean mineral Development was adopted as one of the Government's mining policy in Japan. Ten Metal Mining Agency of Japan (MMAJ) has Started the exploration of manganese Nodules at the request of the Ministry Of International Trade and Industry (MITI) in 1975.MMAJ has also started the Exploration for hydrothermal deposits And cobalt rich manganese crust in mid 80's. The Agency of Industrial Science And Technology, MITI, started R&D of Manganese nodule mining system in 1981 And will conduct ocean mining test in 1997. in the mean time the National Institute for Resources and Environment (NIRE) and the geological Survey of Japan (GSJ) play important roles in the Scientific and fundamental research of Deep ocean resources development.

Introduction

Japanese self-support ratio of rare Metals is very low and the dependence On imports is 100% for cobalt, 99% for Molybdenum and 95% for manganese. The Major exporting countries to Japan are Limited to specificcduntries, reflecting The uneven distribution of production .87 Countries. Within the demands for rare Metals, the demand for nickel in the World rose by 3.2% on average every Year over the past 30 years. However, 70% of this demand was concentrated in Japan, US and Europe, indicating that The demand by advanced industrial Countries were very large.

Among of mineral resources found on The deep sea-bed, the mineral deposits That are attracting most attention are Manganese nodules which are abundant At a depth of 4,000 to 6,000 m. As a Result of the preliminary surveys by Advanced countries in 1970s, the outline Of their distribution, characteristics, And formation process were clarifies And their economic value as future Expected resources were spotlighted.

The promotion of the surveys and the Development of manganese nodules are Very important for Japan in order to Secure self-support long-term stabilized Supply of rare metals. On the other Hand, the deep sea where manganese Nodules are abundant is an extremely Severe environment with hydrostatic Pressures of 500 times of the atmospheric Pressure and a temperature Of 2 to 3 degree Celsius. Thus, there Are many problems to be solved technically. In this development, which needs large funding and a long lead time.

Japanese Program

Since early 1970'SA deep ocean minerals Development was adopted as one of the Government's principal mining policy. The Ocean Development Office of Agency Of Natural Resources and Energy, Ministry Of International Trade and Industry (MITI) is in charge of formulating basic Policy for deep sea-bed mineral resources Development. Then, the research Institutes of MITI such as the Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ) and the National Institute for Resources and Environment (NIRE), have been playing Important roles in the geological study And the fundamental engineering research Of the deep sea-bed mineral Resources development.

The Metal Mining Agency of Japan (MMAJ) Has started the exploration of manganese Nodules in the Clarion-Clipper ton Zone (C-C zone) in the Pacific Ocean in 1975 at the request of the MITI. For This project, R/V "Hakurei-maru" was Launched.