scholarly journals Galvanic Leaching of Seafloor Massive Sulphides Using MnO2 in H2SO4-NaCl Media

Minerals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Przemyslaw Kowalczuk ◽  
Dan Manaig ◽  
Kristian Drivenes ◽  
Ben Snook ◽  
Kurt Aasly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seafloor Massive Sulphides ◽  
Massive Sulphides

scholarly journals Geological fate of seafloor massive sulphides at the TAG hydrothermal field (Mid-Atlantic Ridge)

2019 ◽  
Vol 107 ◽  
pp. 903-925 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bramley J. Murton ◽  
Berit Lehrmann ◽  
Adeline M. Dutrieux ◽  
Sofia Martins ◽  
Alba Gil de la Iglesia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hydrothermal Field ◽  
Mid Atlantic Ridge ◽  
Seafloor Massive Sulphides ◽  
Massive Sulphides ◽  
Tag Hydrothermal Field

scholarly journals Mining the Deep: A global assessment of biodiversity and research effort at deep-sea hydrothermal vents in relation to mining of seafloor massive sulphides

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Thaler ◽  
Diva Amon
Keyword(s):  
Deep Sea ◽  
Hydrothermal Vent ◽  
Hydrothermal Vents ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Scientific Discovery ◽  
Precious Metals ◽  
Biogeographic Provinces ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Seafloor Massive Sulphides ◽  
Massive Sulphides

When the RV Knorr set sail for the Galapagos Rift in 1977, the scientists aboard expected to find deep-sea hydrothermal vents. What they did not expect to find was life—abundant and unlike anything ever seen before. Submersible dives revealed not only deep-sea hydrothermal vents but entire ecosystem surrounding them, including the towering bright red tubeworms that would become icons of the deep sea. This discovery was so unexpected that the ship carried no biological preservatives. These first specimens were fixed in vodka from the scientists’ private reserves.Since that first discovery, deep-sea hydrothermal vents have been found throughout the oceans. As more regions are explored, newly discovered vent fields present the potential for entirely species and ecosystems. Increasingly, however, it is not scientific discovery, but the financial value of vent fields, and the ores they contain, that is driving exploration in the deep sea. Over the last five decades, a new industry has emerged to explore the potential of mining Seafloor Massive Sulphides (deep-sea hydrothermal vents that contain high concentrations of rare and precious metals). Multiple enterprises are developing mining prospects that include both active and inactive deep-sea hydrothermal vent fields. In order to understand the impacts of exploitation at deep-sea hydrothermal vents, scientists and miners must establish environmental baselines. Biodiversity is frequently used as a proxy for resilience and as a metric for assessing biological baselines but, since research effort is not distributed equally across the oceans, biodiversity estimates in the deep sea are rarely comprehensive. Studies have predominantly focused on a few key biogeographic provinces, while other regions have only been sampled sparingly. Managers, regulators, and mining companies are working from incomplete data, with inferences about the consequences, as well as mitigation and remediation practices, often drawn from studies of few vent ecosystems that are often different from those in which the impacts are expected to occur. To better assess our current understanding of deep-sea hydrothermal vent biodiversity, we undertook a quantitative survey of the last 40 years of vent research. A stark north/south divide was detected, demonstrating that while research was disproportionately focused in the Northern Hemisphere, mining prospects were overwhelmingly positioned in the Southern Hemisphere. In addition, we provided a ranked assessment of biodiversity in eight major biogeographic provinces, identified knowledge gaps in the available deep-sea hydrothermal vent exploration literature, and assessed sampling completeness to provide further guidance to regulators, managers, and contractors as they develop comprehensive environmental baseline assessments.

scholarly journals Mining seafloor massive sulphides and biodiversity: what is at risk?

2010 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 341-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy Lee Van Dover
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Hydrothermal Vents ◽  
Test Methods ◽  
Limited Attention ◽  
Conservation Areas ◽  
Conservation Units ◽  
Key Species ◽  
Seafloor Massive Sulphides ◽  
Massive Sulphides

Abstract Van Dover, C. L. 2011. Mining seafloor massive sulphides and biodiversity: what is at risk? – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 341–348. Scientific exploration of the deep sea in the late 1970s led to the discovery of seafloor massive sulphides at hydrothermal vents. More recently, sulphide deposits containing high grades of ore have been discovered in the southwest Pacific. In addition to metal-rich ores, hydrothermal vents host ecosystems based on microbial chemoautotrophic primary production, with endemic invertebrate species adapted in special ways to the vent environment. Although there has been considerable effort to study the biology and ecology of vent systems in the decades since these systems were first discovered, there has been limited attention paid to conservation issues. Three priority recommendations for conservation science at hydrothermal vent settings are identified here: (i) determine the natural conservation units for key species with differing life histories; (ii) identify a set of first principles for the design of preservation reference areas and conservation areas; (iii) develop and test methods for effective mitigation and restoration to enhance the recovery of biodiversity in sulphide systems that may be subject to open-cut mining.

scholarly journals Au and Te Minerals in Seafloor Massive Sulphides from Semyenov-2 Hydrothermal Field, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Minerals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Firstova ◽  
Tamara Stepanova ◽  
Anna Sukhanova ◽  
Georgy Cherkashov ◽  
Irina Poroshina
Keyword(s):  
Low Temperature ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
Hydrothermal Field ◽  
Additional Contribution ◽  
Core Complex ◽  
Mid Atlantic Ridge ◽  
The Mean ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Seafloor Massive Sulphides ◽  
Massive Sulphides

The Semyenov-2 hydrothermal field located at 13°31′N of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) is associated with an oceanic core complex (OCC) and hosted by peridotites and basalts with minor amounts of gabbro and plagiogranites. Seafloor massive sulphides (SMS) are represented by chimneys with zonality, massive sulphides without zonality and sulphide breccia cemented by opal and aragonite. The mean value of Au (20.6 ppm) and Te (40 ppm) is much higher than average for the MAR SMS deposits (3.2 ppm and 8.0 ppm, respectively). Generally, these high concentrations reflect the presence of a wide diversity of Au and Te minerals associated with major mineral paragenesis: primary native gold, melonite (NiTe2) and tellurobismuthite (Bi2Te3) are related to high-temperature chalcopyrite (~350 °C); electrum (AuAg)1, hessite (Ag2Te) and altaite (PbTe) are related to medium- and low-temperature Zn-sulphide and opal assemblages (260–230 °C). Calaverite (AuTe2) and Te-rich “fahlore” Cu12(Sb,As,Te)4S13 are texturally related to the chalcopyrite-bornite-covellite. Enrichment of Au in sulphide breccia with opal and aragonite cement is driven by the re-deposition and the process of hydrothermal reworking of sulphide. The low-temperature fluid mobilizes gold from primary sulphide, along with Au and Te minerals. As a result, the secondary gold re-precipitate in cement of sulphide breccia. An additional contribution of Au enrichment is the presence of aragonite in the Cu-Zn breccia where the maximal Au content (188 ppm) is reached.

scholarly journals The Environmental Impact Assessment for Mining Seafloor Massive Sulphides in Japan

2015 ◽  
Vol 131 (12) ◽  
pp. 634-638 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teruyoshi NARITA ◽  
Junya OSHIKA ◽  
Tetsuhiko TOYOHARA ◽  
Nobuyuki OKAMOTO ◽  
Yoshihisa SHIRAYAMA
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessment ◽  
Seafloor Massive Sulphides ◽  
Massive Sulphides

Deep-sea mining

2020 ◽  
pp. 91-110
Author(s):  
Daniel O. B. Jones ◽  
Diva J. Amon ◽  
Abbie S. A. Chapman
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Management ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Mining Industry ◽  
Deep Ocean ◽  
Polymetallic Nodules ◽  
Ocean Ecosystems ◽  
Seafloor Massive Sulphides ◽  
P Mining ◽  
Massive Sulphides

Mining the extensive accumulations of minerals on the seafloor of the deep ocean might provide important resources, but it also has the potential to lead to widespread environmental impacts. Some of these impacts are unknown, and some may differ for the three main resource types: polymetallic nodules, seafloor massive sulphides, and polymetallic (cobalt-rich) crusts. Here, we detail the mining processes and describe the ecosystems associated with the minerals of interest. We then explain the expected impacts of mining, and discuss their potential effects on deep-ocean ecosystems. We also highlight the missing evidence needed to underpin effective environmental management and regulation of the nascent deep-sea mining industry.

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