Research and Exploration for Deep-sea Minerals

Korea initiated research for ocean and deep-sea minerals in late 1980s and has expanded its program to various types of mineral deposits in different geological environments. In early stage, KIOST (formerly KORDI) deep-sea research was highly motivated through international cooperation and joint field surveys with Japan and USA. These efforts led Korea registration with ISA as the 7th Pioneer Investor in 1994 under the UNCLOS and launched a long-term Korea deep-sea research and exploration programs. Korea also started exploration programs for crusts and massive sulfide deposits from late 1990s. The cooperative works with KIGAM (Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources) and KRISO (Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering) have also spun off various research fields. On the basis of these research programs, KIOST has been striving to achieve higher standards in seafloor mineral surveys and seafloor mining technology, and to secure public understanding of the role of such resources. In particular, developments of robotic mining system for collecting and lifting manganese nodules are the representative outcome from the 25 years of research. Since KIOST started its first seabed survey in 1983, it has been almost one generation to establish a systematic research and survey program. All of these activities have been in consideration under the international rules and regulations, and strict guidancly motivated through international cooperation and joint field surveys with Japan and USA. These efforts led Korea registration with ISA as the 7th Pioneer Investor in 1994 under the UNCLOS and launched a long-term Korea deep-sea research and exploration programs. Korea also started exploration programs for crusts and massive sulfide deposits from late 1990s. The cooperative works with KIGAM (Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources) and KRISO (Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering) have also spun off various research fields. On the basis of these research programs, KIOST has been striving to achieve higher standards in seafloor mineral surveys and seafloor mining technology, and to secure public understanding of the role of such resources. In particular, developments of robotic mining system for collecting and lifting manganese nodules are the representative outcome from the 25 years of research. Since KIOST started its first seabed survey in 1983, it has been almost one generation to establish a systematic research and survey program. All of these activities have been in consideration under the international rules and regulations, and strict guidanc1

A study on the genesis and formation of ferromanganese crusts

한국해양연구

Implementation Plan of Marine ecosystem survey(IPOMES)

해양수산

A Study on the Development of Image Exploration Technique for Deepsea Nodule Field

22Nothe

Exploration Strategies and Activities for Deep-Sea Mineral Resources Development of Korea

1

A Shear Strength Characteristics in Deep-sea Sediment from the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone, Northeast Equatorial Pacific

Deep-sea surface sediments acquired by multiple corer from 69 stations in the Clarion-Clipperton fracture zone of the northeast equatorial Pacific, were analyzed for shear strength properties to understand sedimentological process. The pelagic red clay from northern part of study area shows low average shear strength(4.4 kPa), while the siliceous sediment from middle area shows high(6.3 kPa). The calcareous sediment from southern area shows very low average shear strength(3.4 kPa), and transitional sediment between middle and southern area shows intermediate value(3.8 kPa) between siliceous and calcareous sediment. The depth profiles of average shear strength of pelagicred clay show gradual increment with depth due to decrease of water content with depth by general consolidation process. On the other, abrupt increment of average shear strength with depth in siliceous sediment is related to sedimentary hiatus. The very low shear strength in calcareous sediment is linked to very high sedimentation rate ofsouthern area compared with other study area. 북동태평양 클라리온-클리퍼톤 균열대(Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone) 사이에 위치한 연구지역 퇴적물의 전단강도 특성과 퇴적학적 변화요인을 파악하기위하여 연구지역 각 지점에서 다중주상시료채취기로 채취된 69개 표층퇴적물을 분석하였다. 북부지역 원양성 적점토의 평균 전단강도는 4.4kPa로 낮은 반면, 중부지역 규질 퇴적물의 평균전단강도는 6.3kPa로 가장 높다. 남부지역 탄산질 퇴적물은 3.4kPa로 가장 낮으며, 남부지역과 중부지역사이의 전이퇴적물은 3.8kPa로 탄산질 퇴적물과 규질퇴적물의 중간 값을 보인다. 원양성 적점토가 완만한 전단강도 증가를 보이는 이유는 일반적인 고화 과정에 의한 함수율 감소에 의한 결과이다. 반면에 규질퇴적물에서 나타나는 퇴적깊이에 따른 전단강도의 급격한 증가는 퇴적결층과 연관되어 있다. 탄산질 퇴적물이 가장 낮은 전단강도를 보이는 이유는 남부지역이 타 지역에 비해 퇴적율이 월등히 높기 때문이다.22Nkc

Evaluation of re-suspended sediments to sinking particles by benthic disturbance in manganese nodule fields of the Northeastern Pacific

The abyssal sediments of the Pacific contain mineral resources of potential commercial and strategic interest: of particular interest are the polymetallic nodules commonly known as manganese nodules. Mining operations discharge resuspended sediment into the water column that inevitably disturbs the marine environments. The impact on the marine ecosystem is thought to depend mainly on the scale of disturbance and the amount of resuspended sediment. However, mining-induced particle resuspension processes in the manganese nodule fields are poorly understood. The geochemical properties of sinking particles and sediments in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone were examined to develop a quantitative indicator with which to evaluate the contribution of sediment resuspended by nodule mining activity to sinking particles. The ratio of lithogenic material to organic carbon varies from ~3 in sinking particles to ~211 in sediments. This ratio is easily measured and is not easily affected by degradation and/or dissolution in the water column. A mixing model indicates that the ratio may be used as a potential proxy for estimating the contribution of resuspended sediment derived from mining operations to sinking particles. However, this indicator will need to be examined further, and should be validated against real data from perturbation experiments in the future. sediment into the water column that inevitably disturbs the marine environments. The impact on the marine ecosystem is thought to depend mainly on the scale of disturbance and the amount of resuspended sediment. However, mining-induced particle resuspension processes in the manganese nodule fields are poorly understood. The geochemical properties of sinking particles and sediments in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone were examined to develop a quantitative indicator with which to evaluate the contribution of sediment resuspended by nodule mining activity to sinking particles. The ratio of lithogenic material to organic carbon varies from ~3 in sinking particles to ~211 in sediments. This ratio is easily measured and is not easily affected by degradation and/or dissolution in the water column. A mixing model indicates that the ratio may be used as a potential proxy for estimating the contribution of resuspended sediment derived from mining operations to sinking particles. However, this indicator will need to be examined further, and should be validated against real data from perturbation experiments in the future.1

Mineralogy, grain size distribution, mass accumulation rate of deep-sea sediments from the northeast equatorial Pacific: their implications on source variation and paleolocation of the intertropical c

1

Distribution and Genesis of Co-rich Crusts in the Marshall Islands, Western Pacific

한국해양연구

Multidisciplinary Investigation of the Western Pacific (I)

한국해양연구