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Geological Characterization of Ferromanganese Crust Deposits in the NW Pacific Seamounts for Prudent Deep-Sea Mining

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Perspectives on Deep-Sea Mining

Abstract

We review recent results of onsite seabed surveys and geoscientific analyses of hydrogenetic ferromanganese crusts in the northwestern Pacific and attempt to identify the controlling parameters of the diversity of the deposits in terms of scientific understanding of processes and environments to be applied for future deep-sea mining. We ascertained that oxidizing seawater, old and stable rock substrates, and no or scarce sedimentation or productivity, are optimal conditions for high-grade abundant deposits. The following physicochemical and geological processes were verified from our observations and analyses: (1) ultra-slow and fairly continuous growth at a rate of several μm/kyr in all water-depth zones for more than 10 Myr; (2) initial precipitation of poorly crystalline vernadite (Fe/Mn around one with two diffused X-ray diffraction) now forming coccoid-like morphology as a final constituent to comprise the crusts, and (3) the highest Co concentration around the oxygen minimum zone. Moreover, the microstratigraphy of crusts indicates surprisingly similar structural zones, mineralogy, and chemistry on micron- or millimeter-scales among those from remote areas when the water-depth range is the same. Thus, continuity in abundance and grade at the regional scale can be reasonably expected. Geological characterization and consideration are essential for understanding mineral diversity and evaluating the economic potential and distribution.

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Acknowledgement

Dr. Rahul Sharma, the editor of this book, kindly invited us to write a chapter with suggestion and encouragement. We thank all supporting agencies and staff with research cruises and dives, collaboration, writing, and research funding. We appreciate all colleagues, coworkers, technical staff, and administrative staff from Kochi University, JAMSTEC, JOGMEC, GSJ/AIST and universities. This work was partly supported by KAKENHI programs 20H04316 and 21K03682.

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  1. Center for Advanced Marine Core Research, Kochi University, Kochi, Japan

    Akira Usui

  2. Submarine Resources Research Center, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Kanagawa, Japan

    Katsuhiko Suzuki

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  1. Akira Usui
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Correspondence to Akira Usui .

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  1. Former Chief Scientist and Consultant, National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, India

    Rahul Sharma

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Usui, A., Suzuki, K. (2022). Geological Characterization of Ferromanganese Crust Deposits in the NW Pacific Seamounts for Prudent Deep-Sea Mining. In: Sharma, R. (eds) Perspectives on Deep-Sea Mining. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-87982-2_4

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