Subsea Minerals Sampling
Authors: Smit Hans 
Published: April 2012

Description Overview (Basis of the Paper)

The paper provides an overview of underwater sampling processes in the contextof mineral resource development. The paper provides a background and outlinefor the need for new and existing sampling systems and further highlights thefrequent disparity between current technology and underwater minerals samplingneeds. Furthermore provides insight into the key success factors pertaining tooffshore minerals sampling. The paper is based on 20 years of practicalconsulting and project experience in the underwater mining space working with adiverse set of clients and client needs.

Underwater mining has been practiced for centuries, but in recent times we haveseen both successes and failures. As land based resources diminish andtechnology developments progress, underwater mining has become increasinglyaccepted as a viable alternative source of minerals to land based resources. Successful operations are built on sound system identification and developmentprocesses of these resources, the equipment and the management processes. Inthe current market raising capital for funding such projects is proving moredifficult and as such it is important to not only focus on the technicalsolutions for extracting the minerals but also on the identification anddefinition of the resource to ensure a financially sustainable success.

Systems currently available in the market are typically systems developed forgeotechnical work related to the scientific community and the Oil and Gasindustry. Although these systems are adequate to perform the initialexploration stage of the resource definition process, they are proving to belimited in their ability to meet the needs of the new and growing underwatermining industry. Cost and the lack of speed (cost per meter drilled), of thesesystems is proving to be a limiting factor in the identification and definitionof the resource. This deficiency is certainly more pronounced when it comes tothe phases relating to the ongoing development and extraction of the mineralbody.

It is in light of this that a new generation of faster and more cost effectivesampling systems and methods need to be developed. Added to this need is therequirement for additional functionality (geo-technical and online realtimeresource evaluation) to enable concession holders to achieve multiple goalswith a single exploration / sampling program and equipment spread. The systemfurther has to be able to perform in a manner that meets with the relevantregulatory requirements, be they environmental or commercial (e.g. UNCLOS andNI 43–101).

With a thorough understanding of all the requirements from the explorationstage; through the resource development stage and finally during the mineralextraction phase, a series of tools and equipment can be developed that shallform a solid foundation for the sustainable and financially viable extractionof minerals from the seafloor.

The information provided shall be beneficial to businesses intending to or arealready involved with the exploration and development of potential offshoremineral resources as well as engineers involved in the development ofunderwater sampling systems.