1. INTRODUCTION

This paper describes typical pre-production phases of an ocean mining (manganese nodule) program in terms of the following basic phases as depicted in Figure 1:

Prospecting

Exploration

Production Equipment Development/Fabrication

The purpose is to give the reader a basic understanding of the activities, the risk/cost/time tradeoff decisions involved, and the basic resource requirements of ocean mining programs as defined by operators with advanced ocean mining programs in progress.

The data presented herein describes a unit operation; i.e., an operation scaled to remove and convert to marketable products a unit of one million dry short tons of Pacific Ocean manganese nodules per annum. This is considered a minimum basic unit of production by the authors and is in no way to be considered an optimum or maximum unit.

Prospecting, in a manganese nodule mining program, is that operation conducted for the purpose of mapping, sampling bottom or subbottom materials, making geophysical or geochemical measurements, or comparable activities so long as such operation is carried out in a manner that does not significantly alter the surface or subsurface of the deep seabed.

Prospecting activities are carried out prior to the granting of exclusive rights to explore and exploit a specific mineral deposit. Thus, it is the introductory or reconnaissance phase of the search for minerals. By its very nature,