Sediment Erosion Generated by a Coandă-Effect-Based Polymetallic-Nodule Collector

To date, hydraulic collection is the most widely considered technology in polymetallic-nodule mining, since there is no direct contact between hydraulic collectors and ocean floor. To construct a hydraulic collector that results in the least sediment disturbance, it is critical to develop an insightful understanding of the interaction between...

Flocculation effect on turbidity flows generated by deep-sea mining: A numerical study

We have developed and investigated a hydrodynamic model of Deep-Sea Mining (DSM) collector turbidity flows that captures sediment particle aggregation and breakup. Flocculation is expected to have a significant impact on determining the spread patterns of the turbidity flows and the resulting turbidity currents. The recently validated drift...

"Hydrocyclone separation of polymetallic nodules from surrounding water and sediment in deep-sea mining operations"

Growing populations, high-technology applications and the energy transition raise the demand for rare earth elements. As a secure supply in the future is all but certain, opportunities arise for deep-sea mining. Polymetallic nodules<br/>that are located on the vast, sediment-covered ocean floors, are one of the more promising deep-sea mineral...

Degradation of polymetallic nodules during hydraulic transport under influence of particle-wall and particle-particle interaction

The mining of polymetallic nodules from the seafloor at depths down to 6000m requires the excavation of nodules with a seafloor mining tool, the transport of nodules as a slurry through a jumper hose connecting the mining tool to a vertical hydraulic transport system and the transport of the nodules through the vertical lifting pipe. We focus...

Size reduction of CCZ polymetallic nodules under repeated impact fragmentation

Polymetallic nodules provide an alternative source of valuable metals. Nodules from the seabed of the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ), a prospective mining area, are typically abundant at depths of around 5 ​km. Mining these nodules comprises excavation or pick-up of nodules and hydraulic transport of nodules from the seafloor to the surface....