Another application for exploration work on manganese nodules in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone has been
received by the ISA from China Minmetals Corporation
(sponsored by China) in 2014 and will be handled during
its annual session in July 2015.
Exploration activities in the EEZ of coastal states for
mineral resources in shallow water are numerous (e.g.,
dredging operations for sand and gravel but also for placer
deposits). Few large projects for phosphorites are under
consideration (see entry “Phosphorites”). For the deep
sea, the number of contracts can only be estimated since
many countries do not make their contracts
public. Nautilus Minerals and Neptune Minerals are the
two companies for which some information can be
Marine Mineral Resources, Table 1 Status of contracts with the International Seabed Authority
Contractor
Sponsoring state
Location
Size
(km
2 )
Date of entry
into force
Expiry date
Manganese nodules
Interoceanmetal Joint
Organization
Bulgaria, Cuba, Czech Republic, Poland,
Russian Federation, and Slovakia
CCZ
75,000 Mar. 29, 2001 Mar. 28, 2016
Yuzhmorgeologiya
Russian Federation
CCZ
75,000 Mar. 29, 2001 Mar. 28, 2016
Government of the Republic of
Korea
–
CCZ
75,000 Apr. 27, 2001 Apr. 26, 2016
COMRA
China
CCZ
75,000 May 22, 2001 May 21, 2016
DORD
Japan
CCZ
75,000 June 20, 2001 June 19, 2016
IFREMER
France
CCZ
75,000 June 20, 2001 June 19, 2016
Government of India
–
CIOB
77,000 Mar. 25, 2002 Mar. 24, 2017
BGR
Germany
CCZ
77,271 July 19, 2006 July 18, 2021
Nauru Ocean Resources Inc.
Nauru
CCZ
74,830 July 22, 2011 July 21, 2026
Tonga Offshore Mining
Limited
Tonga
CCZ
74,713 Jan. 11, 2012 Jan. 10, 2027
G-TEC Sea Mineral Resources
NV
Belgium
CCZ
77,000 Jan. 14, 2013 Jan. 13, 2028
UK Seabed Resources Ltd.
United Kingdom
CCZ
58,620 Feb. 8, 2013 Feb. 7, 2028
Marawa Research and
Exploration Ltd.
Kiribati
CCZ
74,990 Jan. 19, 2015 Jan. 18, 2030
Ocean Minerals Singapore
Singapore
CCZ
58,280 Jan. 22, 2015 Jan. 21, 2030
UK Seabed Resources Ltd.
United Kingdom
CCZ
74,920 To be signed To be signed
Cook Islands Investment Corp. Cook Islands
CCZ
73,000 To be signed To be signed
China Minmetals Corporation China
CCZ
72,740 To be signed To be signed
Seafloor massive sulfides
COMRA
China
Southwest
Indian
Ridge
10,000 Nov. 18, 2011 Nov. 17, 2026
Government of the Russian
Federation
–
Mid-Atlantic
Ridge
10,000 Oct. 29, 2012 Oct. 28, 2027
Government of the Republic of
Korea
–
Central Indian
Ocean
10,000 June 24, 2014 June 23, 2029
IFREMER
France
Mid-Atlantic
Ridge
10,000 Nov. 18, 2014 Nov. 17, 2029
BGR
Germany
Central Indian
Ocean
10,000 May 6, 2015 May 5, 2030
Government of India
–
Central Indian
Ocean
10,000 To be signed To be signed
Co-rich manganese crusts
JOGMEC
Japan
Western
Pacific
3,000 Jan. 27, 2014 Jan. 26, 2029
COMRA
China
Western
Pacific
3,000 Apr. 29, 2014 Apr. 28, 2029
Government of the Russian
Federation
–
Western
Pacific
3,000 Mar. 10, 2015 Mar. 9, 2030
Companhia de Pesquisa de
Recursos Minerais S.A.
Brazil
South Atlantic 3,000 Nov. 9, 2015 Nov. 8, 2030
BGR Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources of Germany, COMRA China Ocean Mineral Resources Research and Development Association, DORD Deep Ocean Resources Development Co. Ltd. (Japan), JOGMEC Japan Oil, Gas, and Metals National Corporation, IFRMER Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer (France), CCZ Clarion-Clipperton Zone, CIOB Central Indian
Ocean Basin
478
MARINE MINERAL RESOURCES