Survey technologies and their breakthroughs for deep-sea mineral deposits

Survey technologies for deep-sea manganese nodule deposits were developed in 1960s and 1970s. Though some of them are still applicable, innovative technologies are required for newly found marine mineral deposits, such as hydrothermal metalliferous deposits from ocean ridge and arc areas and cobalt-rich manganese deposits from seamounts, considering their different distribution characteristics. For examples of current survey technologies, acoustic equipment, seafloor observation systems, and sampling tools used in the R/V Hakurei-maru No. 2 are briefly introduced. Requirements are examined from viewpoint of the mining interests, and some breakthroughs for more advanced survey for the deep-sea mineral deposits are discussed.