Exploration of Marine Mineral Resources

In addition to the coastal occurrences of phosphorites, heavy mineral deposits, and sands and gravels, which are already actively mined, marine minerals also include deep sea resources, the exploration of which is one of the main focuses of BGR's marine resource research. These resources are divided into three groups, (1) manganese nodules, (2) manganese crusts and (3) massive sulphides, the mining of which is conceivable in the near future. The deposits, some of which are located in international waters, offer Germany, as a country with only minor metal resources, the opportunity to acquire exploration licenses from the International Seabed Authority, which may later be converted to mining licenses.

On behalf of the (German) Federal Government, BGR has been exploring a licensing area for manganese nodules in the equatorial north-east Pacific since July 2006 and, since May 2015, a licensing area for massive sulphides in the western Indian Ocean.

Read the report (in German) here.