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(A)

(B)

Ship time, equipment, and support at
$1,500 to $4,000 per day. The amount
of time spent at sea, although highly
variable, will not normally be less than
30 to 60 days per year and will not
usually exceed 200 days per year.

Scientific party including data analysis
at $150,000 to $300,000 per year. The
prospector, in order to achieve any
significant results from his work, must
at a very minimum commit a scientific
party on an annual basis.

It should be noted that the level of expenditure for this activity may vary over a wide range depending on the nature of the funding agency (for example, government supported activity), the degree of detail of data and analysis required, effectiveness of ship and data system, the timing of the program, the economic standards of the participants, etc.

2.5 External Impacts

There is no external economic impact at the prospecting stage since prospecting deals with the discovery of targets not the definition of ore bodies. Prospecting activity has little or no impact on the environment since the major function at sea is collection of data, not collection of material. Data and sample collection are largely observational and do not add to or remove from the site any significant amounts of material.

At the point in his program which marks the termination of Prospecting and the beginning of Exploration, the miner will be seeking to protect his interest in his discovery through the acquisition of exclusive rights. It is at this point that government review may be required to assure that the public interests are served in:

(1)

Protection of the marine environment

(2) Maintenance of public order

(3)

(4)

Noninterference with other uses

Creation of public revenues and other
benefits

Governmental regulation of human activities designed to acquire knowledge can only be justified if the acquisition process involves potential harm. If such regulation is indicated in a particular case, it is justified only to the extent necessary to assure mitigation of that harm.

In view of lack of harmful impacts of prospecting,

no case can be made for its regulation.

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Exploration, in a manganese nodule mining program, is that detailed observation and evaluation activity which follows the location and selection of a nodule deposit of potential economic interest and which has, as its objective, the establishment and documentation of the nature, shape, concentration, and tenor of an ore deposit and the nature of the physical environmental factors which will affect its minability and economic development.

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As described above, the prospecting survey attempts to locate dense populations of high grade nodules. Detailed exploration surveys, on the other hand, aim at determining whether such a previously located nodule deposit is of sufficient extent, concentration, and grade to allow economic mining. In many ways, the survey procedures themselves are quite similar. The major difference is that, in the latter phase, the nodule miner expends more time and energy in a smaller geographical area using more advanced methods and apparatus to obtain data having a higher degree of detail.

* It is noted that the above definition is a statement of the content of exploration and is not a test of when "prospecting" ends and "exploration" beings. The objective test of this change is when activities are pursued which are not included in the definition of prospecting or when the operator seeks and obtains exclusive rights to explore and exploit a particular nodule deposit.

Exploration consists of two major tasks. The first is to confirm that a candidate ore body is in fact an economic deposit. The second is to acquire the specific information, pertinent to the confirmed ore body, for use in final equipment design, production planning, and exploitation of the deposit. The results of the first task will be to verify with sufficient probability that the deposit contains the desired density and quantity of ore grade nodules capable of being mined with a practical mining system. Preliminary data on bottom conditions and other important atmospheric and oceanographic data which will influence the mining operation will also be acquired. The results of the second task will be to further verify the extent and tenor of the deposit, locate obstructions, and obtain all data needed to develop and then to formulate the beginnings of the actual mining operational plan.

In a typical exploration phase, surveying is carried out on a widely spaced traverse pattern. The spacing of survey lines is formulated to outline the shape of the deposit. Nodule bathymetry and population are documented along the route of survey. Discrete samples are obtained to establish the general tenor of the mineralization. A more closely spaced grid system is then required in the areas of prime interest. Data gathered by surveying on this pattern will provide more precise definition of the size and shape of deposits as well as concentration statistics. Sampling with dredges and corers at locations interspersed between sites occupied during the exploration phase will provide representative samples for assay. Core studies will yield soil mechanics information on sea floor sediments essential for engineering design. The products of the survey efforts will be a series of maps of:

Nodule ore deposits giving the boundaries,
hence, shape and size of deposits

Nodule populations and concentrations

Soil mechanics data

A preliminary topographic map of the deposit will also be developed using such equipment as surface mounted narrow beam sonar systems. Micro relief obstruction location will be defined by use of an integrated system utilizing a

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deep-towed device possibly equipped with side-scan sonar. These maps would allow determination of dredging patterns with regard to terrain characteristics and obstructions. Geographic positioning could be achieved with integrated satellite navigation systems and acoustical bottom transponders.

The data, as obtained, will be used as basic input in the development and design of production facilities tailored to the particular site.

Finally, an analysis and evaluation of all data will be completed for preparation of an initial mining operational plan specifically for the given ore deposit in the particular environment. This plan will include:

Proposed tracks of the mining ship

Ore production schedule

Actions necessary to comply with environ-
mental requirements

Operational alternatives in response to
changes in sea state, wind, etc.

The initial mining operational plan will be a guide for the commercial production of the ore deposit and will be constantly updated as new information is gathered or new ore areas are required.

3.3 Equipment

Exploration equipment requirements can be divided into categories according to the information to be acquired.

3.3.1 Ship. The fundamental tool of the ocean mineral developer is the vessel or platform from which to conduct the survey and data acquisition activities. The nature of manganese nodule deposits has a major influence on the selection of a suitable ship. A nodule exploration ship must provide the following basic functions: (a) transit to and from ocean stations, (b) maneuver while on station and launch and retrieve survey gear, (c) provide ship service

support including maintenance and repair of survey gear, (d) provide laboratory and data analysis spaces for real time on board evaluation of data, (e) provide hotel and habitability spaces for all personnel, and (f) provide cargo storage capacity for collected samples.

Deposits of economic interest are found in the deep waters of the ocean beyond the continental margins and usually 800 to 1,000 miles from the nearest land or port (well beyond normal helicopter range and 3 to 5 days by sea). Deposits (not necessarily economic deposits), due to their surficial nature, cover wide areas of the sea floor and are found in all oceans of the world. These conditions result in a requirement to select a ship with a high transit speed to transit from shore to station and station to station as fast as economically feasible and then once on station to maneuver slowly and precisely for long periods. Experience has shown that a 30- to 35-day voyage is a maximum that personnel can withstand at sea without a break. Accordingly, endurance of a typical nodule exploration ship should provide for these days plus the proper allowance for contingencies.

A commercial nodule survey research ship is usually chosen and outfitted as a single-purpose vessel as compared with the ships used by institutions conducting basic scientific investigations. Scientific ships are general and multipurpose vessels and usually are much larger. The nodule survey ship can be either a dedicated new or converted ship or a chartered ship of opportunity. Chartered ships are usually used during the very early and preliminary phases of nodule survey activity. Dedicated ships are often preferred for long-range, on-going programs.

Typical characteristics of commercial ocean-going survey ships engaged in nodule survey are:

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