Nodule Exploration: Accomplishments, Needs and Problems

Abstract

Nearly a century elapsed between discovery of manganese nodules in the 1870’s and the beginning of their commercial exploration in the 1960’s. Since the latter date, however, technical progress has been rapid, deposits of economic interest have been discovered and mapped, and mining systems have been proven to be capable of operating in ocean depths of 15,000 feet.

In 1984 the U.S. Government through its Department of Commerce issued Exploration Licenses to four international consortia. This paper presents a historic sketch of the program conducted by Ocean Mining Associates that led to the award of one such license. The current program is not without its problems, however, some of which are technological and some that are economic in origin.