A [Mineral Store/muse
127
already taken by the petroleum industry. Mining companies at
present restricted to inland or shallow coastal waters may have to
seek further supplies of sand and gravel in the deeper waters. The
new machinery developed for this purpose will also bring mineral—
rich deposits into range and with the prots from such operations
the investment necessary for more ambitious schemes might become
more easily available. According to a report prepared by the Battelle
Memorial Institute at Columbus, Ohio, for the US. Environmental
Science Service (ESSA) in 1966, tentative attempts at commercial
mining of phosphorite nodules may take place in perhaps ten years
and of manganese nodules in ten to fifteen years. Certainly any
temptation to dismiss the retrieval of minerals from the deep ocean
oor should be resisted if for no other reason than the meteoritic
increase in the scale and investment of the oil industry in the marine
sphere. After all, few people could have suspected fteen years ago
that recent drilling platforms would have become such a familiar
feature in the oil and natural gas industries of the ’Ôos.
The Battelle researchers point out that all production of metals
and minerals from continental shelf regions depends in a funda—
mental way on the products and services of ESSA: nautical charts;
tidal, current and coast pilot information; seismological, geomagnetic, gravity, hydrographic, and oceanographic data; weather
forecasts and warnings; and so on. They suggest a greatly expanded
service is needed even now for the sand and gravel industry. For
example, the removal of sand bars or similar natural obstacles to
navigation could be accomplished by a co—operative effort between
the neighbouring municipality or state, a local sand and gravel
producer and the Federal Government. To aid mineral exploration,
the report states ‘there is a pressing need for charts of mineral
showings at regular intervals on the continental shelf.
.
.
.
Once
having the location of mineral showing, companies will depend on
their own resources for detailed mapping and exploration.’
In the United Kingdom, Dr K. C. Dunham and other experts
have reinforced the key role which government—aided exploration
can play in encouraging the development of mineral resources. The
ideal position would be if any company wishing to consider building
up marine mineral operations could consult the results of surveys
and geological maps of sea areas which are as detailed as those
available for the land masses. The British Institute of Geological
Sciences is at present engaged upon creating a comprehensive
127
already taken by the petroleum industry. Mining companies at
present restricted to inland or shallow coastal waters may have to
seek further supplies of sand and gravel in the deeper waters. The
new machinery developed for this purpose will also bring mineral—
rich deposits into range and with the prots from such operations
the investment necessary for more ambitious schemes might become
more easily available. According to a report prepared by the Battelle
Memorial Institute at Columbus, Ohio, for the US. Environmental
Science Service (ESSA) in 1966, tentative attempts at commercial
mining of phosphorite nodules may take place in perhaps ten years
and of manganese nodules in ten to fifteen years. Certainly any
temptation to dismiss the retrieval of minerals from the deep ocean
oor should be resisted if for no other reason than the meteoritic
increase in the scale and investment of the oil industry in the marine
sphere. After all, few people could have suspected fteen years ago
that recent drilling platforms would have become such a familiar
feature in the oil and natural gas industries of the ’Ôos.
The Battelle researchers point out that all production of metals
and minerals from continental shelf regions depends in a funda—
mental way on the products and services of ESSA: nautical charts;
tidal, current and coast pilot information; seismological, geomagnetic, gravity, hydrographic, and oceanographic data; weather
forecasts and warnings; and so on. They suggest a greatly expanded
service is needed even now for the sand and gravel industry. For
example, the removal of sand bars or similar natural obstacles to
navigation could be accomplished by a co—operative effort between
the neighbouring municipality or state, a local sand and gravel
producer and the Federal Government. To aid mineral exploration,
the report states ‘there is a pressing need for charts of mineral
showings at regular intervals on the continental shelf.
.
.
.
Once
having the location of mineral showing, companies will depend on
their own resources for detailed mapping and exploration.’
In the United Kingdom, Dr K. C. Dunham and other experts
have reinforced the key role which government—aided exploration
can play in encouraging the development of mineral resources. The
ideal position would be if any company wishing to consider building
up marine mineral operations could consult the results of surveys
and geological maps of sea areas which are as detailed as those
available for the land masses. The British Institute of Geological
Sciences is at present engaged upon creating a comprehensive