Subsea mineral harvesting is emerging as a key means for obtaining the minerals required to meet the world’s growing battery resource needs and deliver a more sustainable future.
Subsea polymetallic nodules exist in huge deposits atop seabed surfaces across the world. These rock concretions, which are usually 3-10 centimetres in diameter, are rich in minerals including nickel, manganese, and cobalt.
These minerals are a vital resource and can be used in applications including electric vehicle battery manufacture. Currently, the minerals are resourced in limited quantities on land, which poses environmental and ethical challenges.
Utilising our team’s extensive experience in the development of subsea solutions, we have already supported successful subsea recovery campaign work, by developing an innovative recovery system to gently scoop subsea nodules from seabed surfaces, in 4-6-kilometre water depths.
Our system has been developed by utilising our decades of expertise in subsea vehicles, and our experience in minimising the environmental impact of offshore mission equipment and operations. As well as being the most environmentally viable solution currently on the market, our solution is highly scalable and is proven to offer efficient and reliable recovery.