Solid marine mineral mining: current situation

The article discusses the current situation in the shelf and deep-sea solid mineral mining. Two concepts of mining on the continental shelf are identified: geology and right. There is a clash between Russia, United States of America, Denmark, Canada and Norway as regards the use of the offshore zone of the Arctic Ocean beyond the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone of the Arctic States. Russia has accomplished accumulation of data on the fact that the Mendeleev and Lomonosov Ridges are the extensions of the Siberian Platform. This allows expanding Russia’s economic zone to 350 nautical miles and enlarging the shelf area from 6.2 Mkm2 by 1.2 Mkm2 with all its marine mineral and biological resources. The summary table of data on minerals of the shelf placers and on their development in different countries is given in the article. Moreover, the marine mineral mining methods are for the first time systematized by the occurrence depths. The prevalent deep-sea mineral resources at the depths to 5000 m are described. The current situation in geological exploration of a gold–copper sulfide ore deposit developed by Russia under mining license in the Atlantic ocean, as well as in exploration of an iron–manganese ore deposit in the Clarion–Clipperton Zone is described.

Drobadenko V. P., Malukhin G. N., Lukonina O. A., Salakhov I. N. Solid marine mineral mining: current situation. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2021;(3-1):99—109. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2021_31_0_99.

Drobadenko V. P.¹, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), professor, professor of department geotechnological methods and physical processes of mining operations;
Malukhin G. N., Cand. Sci. (Eng.),Deputy Director Of the Department for strategic development of production, «INVESTREGIONPROM», Moscow, Russia;
Lukonina O. A.¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), associate professor, associate professor of department geotechnological methods and physical processes of mining operations;
Salakhov I. N.¹, post-graduate student, teacher of department geotechnological methods and physical processes of mining operations;
¹ Sergo Ordzhonikidze Russian State University for Geological Prospecting, Moscow, Russia.

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