Minerals From the Marine Environment

Abstract

The current interest in minerals centering on, among other things, potential shortages, long‐term needs, and deep seabed nodules, accentuates the usefulness and timeliness of this little book authored by a former chairman of the British National Environmental Research Council.In less than 100 pages, the author puts into perspective the potential for producing minerals from offshore areas of the world. After introducing the reader to the ocean environment and the extraordinary variety of the nature of the seabed, the author describes in some detail the variety of minerals found there. This is done in seven separate chapters entitled ‘Bulk and Non‐Metallic Minerals From the Seas’; ‘Metals From the Shallow Seas’; ‘Metals From the Deep Oceans’; ‘Minerals From Solution’; ‘Oil and Gas from the Shallow Seas’; ‘Oil and Gas From Deep Waters’; and ‘Coal Beneath the Sea.’ The remaining chapters give a brief regional review of marine minerals distribution for eight areas of significant socioeconomic structure, and a short recapitulation of special problems of mineral recovery in the marine environment including such matters as the effect of water motion on mineral processing and of international law on investments. Glossaries of geological periods and technical terms, a short list of references, and an index completethe work.