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<p>Polymetallic manganese nodules (PMNs) are long-studied critical mineral deposits rich in manganese, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements that occur in the deep ocean floor. To understand and estimate resource distribution, a detailed high-resolution seabed survey using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) was conducted in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB) at a depth of ~ 5270&#xa0;m. High-resolution geophysical datasets such as multibeam survey, HISAS backscatter and 4&#xa0;K resolution photographic results revealed detailed morphological and nodule characteristics of the study area. The polymetallic nodule coverage was assessed based on the result of camera image analysis of approximately 130 line kilometers from 1200 grids spaced at 20&#xa0;m within the 0.5&#xa0;km² study area. Surface nodule coverage varied throughout the study area, reaching a maximum of 4.57%, predominantly in the southwest region. The distribution of nodules is uneven, with few to no nodules found in the valleys, and the majority located on the flanks of hills. It is found that the topography and morphology on the small scale have a large effect on the nodule distribution by favoring high nodule coverage in the gently sloped regions than the undulated areas. This study revealed even small reliefs in the topography of &lt; 10&#xa0;m vertically &lt; 0.5&#xa0;m influencing the nodule distribution. Most of the observed areas with high nodule coverage have slopes of less than 3 degrees, in the perspective of mining machine maneuverability. This paper presents the results of high-resolution seafloor information to determine the correlation between seafloor morphology and nodule distribution and the factors affecting the distribution.</p>

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Assessment of polymetallic nodules in the Central Indian Ocean Basin: factors influencing distribution patterns through high‑resolution autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) survey

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年1月10日

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  • V. B. Subin Raj,
  • M. A. Sarun Lal,
  • R. S. Gowri,
  • S. Ramesh,
  • N. R. Ramesh,
  • R. Ramesh,
  • V. Deepak,
  • A. Vadivelan,
  • G. A. Ramadass

摘要

Polymetallic manganese nodules (PMNs) are long-studied critical mineral deposits rich in manganese, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements that occur in the deep ocean floor. To understand and estimate resource distribution, a detailed high-resolution seabed survey using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) was conducted in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB) at a depth of ~ 5270 m. High-resolution geophysical datasets such as multibeam survey, HISAS backscatter and 4 K resolution photographic results revealed detailed morphological and nodule characteristics of the study area. The polymetallic nodule coverage was assessed based on the result of camera image analysis of approximately 130 line kilometers from 1200 grids spaced at 20 m within the 0.5 km² study area. Surface nodule coverage varied throughout the study area, reaching a maximum of 4.57%, predominantly in the southwest region. The distribution of nodules is uneven, with few to no nodules found in the valleys, and the majority located on the flanks of hills. It is found that the topography and morphology on the small scale have a large effect on the nodule distribution by favoring high nodule coverage in the gently sloped regions than the undulated areas. This study revealed even small reliefs in the topography of < 10 m vertically < 0.5 m influencing the nodule distribution. Most of the observed areas with high nodule coverage have slopes of less than 3 degrees, in the perspective of mining machine maneuverability. This paper presents the results of high-resolution seafloor information to determine the correlation between seafloor morphology and nodule distribution and the factors affecting the distribution.