... are similar and show that the current price of nickel could produce equality between NPV of manganese nodules and cobalt crust only if the cobalt price were several hundreds dollars per kg. Results are based on cost of mining estimated by Yamazaki for Japanese licensed deposits, and can be used as a guide...

... of the Myojin Knoll on the Izu-Ogasawara Arc (Iizasa et al., 1999) and geotechnical characteristics of the Kuroko-type SMS (Yamazaki and Park, 2003), some preliminary economic validation analyses of the SMS mining in small production scale were reported by one of the authors (Yamazaki et al., 2003; Yamazaki...

... DPED, 1987). From the end of 1980s, Japan has undertaken many survey cruises for cobalt-rich manganese crusts in and around the Mid-Pacific Mountains (Yamazaki et al., 1994; Usui and Someya, 1997; Yamazaki and Sharma, 1998; MMAJ, 2001). Some key technological studies for the mining and the processing...

...., 1985; Bath, 1989; Charles et al., 1990; Yang and Wang, 1997; Yamada and Yamazaki, 1998; Hong and Kim, 1999; Muthunayagam and Das, 1999). The mining feasibility for manganese nodules, including an economic evaluation, has been examined in detail by some researchers (Andrews et al., 1983; Hillman...

... to predict the cutting result of cobalt-rich crust and improve the design of deep seabed mining system. INTRODUCTION Cobalt crust, which grows on smooth seamount slope from 500 to 3000 meters depth (Yamazaki and Sharma, 2000), is multi-metal ore that is rich in cobalt, nickel, silver, copper, gold...

... nodule development has been studied during the last thirty years by the international consortium (Welling, 1981; Bath, 1989) and several nations (Charles et al., 1990; Yang and Wang, 1997; Yamada and Yamazaki, 1998; Muthunayagam and Das, 1999). On the other hand, though some efforts have succeeded...

... sources for cobalt, nickel, copper, and manganese because of recent increases in demand for these metals (Yamazaki and Park, 2005). Through the R&Ds, the hydraulic dredge with either a towed or self-propelled miner was selected by many as their mining systems for their R&D targets. Relatively...

... Summary of Environmental Impact Research on Marine Ecosystem for Deep-sea Mining Conducted by Metal Mining Agency of Japan Satoru Ohkubo Metal Mining Agency of Japan Tokyo, Japan Tetsuo Yamazaki National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Tsukuba, Japan ABSTRACT...

... company (Malnic, 2001). cobalt-rich manganese crust yamazaki information deposit customer smelter metals & mining project valuation efficiency evaluation seafloor massive sulfide ore floatation economic evaluation froth floatation knowledge management sunrise deposit project...

... mining systems (Herrouin et aI., 1989; Inokuma, 1995; Yang and Wang, 1997; Muthunayagam and Das, 1999). ofsediment particle metals & mining sediment discharge particle assembly operation manganese nodule yamazaki transportation circulation hydraulic transportation symp particle...

...~ystem recovers very slowly when it is damaged. and measures to counter such damage must be taken (Thiel et aI, 1991). In cobalt-rich manganese deposits the nodules are halfburied in a calcareous sediment layer, and hollow places of the crust surface undulation are filled with sediments (Yamazaki...

... collection test, lift-pipe handling test, flexible hose bending test, and air-lift compressor operation test (Yamada and Yamazaki, 1998). cable upstream oil & gas nodule collection test tow nephelometer camera system nodule mining system sledge hybrid cable seafloor sediment side scan...

... crust leller haymon yamazaki deposit metals & mining volcanic eruption ihl somt ihe ofth consolidated seafloor deposit tsurusaki Pro«edings olllle Second (1997) Ocean Mining Symposium S_l, Korea, Novt!mber 24-26, /997 Copyrighl Cl /997 by TIre Inlerntlliorro/ Society olO/lsllore Qnd P...

... to extend some selective technologies for subsystems to recover the nodules on 'a commercial scale (Shimizu et aI., 1991; Ishikawa et aI., 1992; Shimizu et aI., 1992). Publicly sponsored projects have been active in the 1980s and 1990s in Japan, France, and India (Hcrrouin et aI., 1989; Yamazaki, 1990...

... Manganese Deposits T. Yamazaki National Institute for Resources and Environment, Tsukuba, Japan R Sharma National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, India K Tsurusaki National Institute for Resources and Environment, Tsukuba, Japan ABSTRACf Method of exploitation, selection of mine site...