Economic and Environmental Geology (자원환경지질)

The Korean Society of Economic and Environmental Geology (대한자원환경지질학회)
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Geophysical and Geological Exploration of Cobalt-rich Ferromanganese Crusts on a Seamount in the Western Pacific

서태평양 해저산 고코발트 망간각 자원평가를 위한 광역 탐사 방안

  • Kim, Jonguk (Deep-sea and Seabed Resources Research Division, KIOST) ;
  • Ko, Young-Tak (Deep-sea and Seabed Resources Research Division, KIOST) ;
  • Hyeong, Kiseong (Deep-sea and Seabed Resources Research Division, KIOST) ;
  • Moon, Jai-Woon (Deep-sea and Seabed Resources Research Division, KIOST)
  • 김종욱 (한국해양과학기술원 심해저자원연구부) ;
  • 고영탁 (한국해양과학기술원 심해저자원연구부) ;
  • 형기성 (한국해양과학기술원 심해저자원연구부) ;
  • 문재운 (한국해양과학기술원 심해저자원연구부)
  • Received : 2013.09.09
  • Accepted : 2013.12.05
  • Published : 2013.12.28
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Abstract

Co-rich ferromanganese crusts (Fe-Mn crusts) distributed on the seamounts in the western Pacific are potential economic resources for cobalt, nickel, platinum, and other rare metals in the future. Regulations for prospecting and exploration of Fe-Mn crusts in the Area, which enables the process to obtain an exclusive exploration right for blocks of the fixed size, were enacted recently by the International Seabed Authority, which led to public attention on its potential for commercial development. Evaluation and selection of a mining site can be established based on abundance and grade of Fe-Mn crusts in the site as well as topography that should be smooth enough for mining efficiency. Therefore, acquisition of shipboard echo-sounding and acoustic backscatter data are prerequisite to select potential mine sites in addition to visual and sampling operations. Acoustic backscatter data can be used to locate crust-covered areas in a regional scale with the understanding of acoustic properties of crust through its correlation with visual and sampling data. KIOST had collected the topographic and geologic data to assess the resources potential for Fe-Mn crusts in the west Pacific region from 1994 to 2001. However, they could not obtain acoustic backscatter data that is crucial for the selection of prospective mining sites. Therefore, additional exploration surveys are required to carry out side scan sonar mapping combined with seafloor observation and sampling to decide the blocks for application of an exclusive exploration right.

서태평양 해저산 사면에 부존하는 고코발트 망간각은 코발트, 니켈, 백금, 희유금속 등을 다량 함유하고 있으며, 최근 국제해저기구에서 공해상 탐사규칙이 제정됨에 따라 개발 대상으로 더욱 주목받고 있다. 해저산에 분포하는 망간각의 개발을 위해서는 경사가 낮고 지형기복이 완만하여 채광에 유리한 지형조건을 갖추면서 망간각이 두껍게 분포하는 유망지역을 선별하여야 한다. 따라서 광역단계의 망간각 탐사는 음향 수심탐사를 통한 지형 및 경사도의 확인, 음향산란 자료의 획득을 통한 기저면 표층 매질 분포 파악, 그리고 해저면 영상 관찰과 시료채취를 통한 망간각의 분포 두께 파악이 필요하다. 또한 음향산란 자료를 이용하여 망간각 분포 지역을 확인하기 위해서는 영상관찰 및 시료 채취를 통한 망간각 음향매질 특성분석이 필요하다. 기존의 탐사를 통해 수행된 망간각 기초탐사 자료를 분석한 결과 해저산 지형 해석과 망간각 광역분포와 같은 망간각 유망지역 선별을 위한 일부 자료를 확인할 수 있었다. 하지만, 음향산란 자료를 확보하지 못하여 넓은 탐사지역을 대상으로 망간각 부존 유망지역을 선별하는 데 필요한 망간각 분포 변화는 파악하지 못하였다. 따라서 향후 탐사는 망간각 탐사후보 지역을 대상으로 음향산란 자료의 확보가 선행되어야 하며, 해저면 관찰 및 시료채취를 병행하여 해저면 음향매질 특성과 망간각 분포의 상관성을 파악하기 위한 탐사가 수행되어야 한다.

Keywords

References

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  1. Dynamic Characteristics of Water Column Properties based on the Behavior of Water Mass and Inorganic Nutrients in the Western Pacific Seamount Area vol.18, pp.3, 2015, https://doi.org/10.7846/JKOSMEE.2015.18.3.143
  2. An integrated method for the quantitative evaluation of mineral resources of cobalt-rich crusts on seamounts vol.84, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2017.01.011
  3. Characterizing Geomorphological Properties of Western Pacific Seamounts for Cobalt-rich Ferromanganese Crust Resource Assessment vol.49, pp.2, 2016, https://doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2016.49.2.121