Course - Deep Sea Mining - TGB4228
Deep Sea Mining
Assessments and mandatory activities may be changed until September 20th.
About
About the course
Course content
With the deep sea mining value chain as the basis, the course gives an introduction to the technological, operational and geological challenges one faces when exploring for deep sea mineralisations and extracting ore from the seabed and transporting it to a processing plant. An introduction is also given to cost and profitability studies and to typical geological characteristics of relevant deposit types. Environmental impact and management of the environmental impact will also be discussed.
Learning outcome
Competencies
After completing the course, the student should be able to
- Apply interdisciplinary competence related to deep-sea mining to conduct scoping studies / preliminary economic assessments.
- Contribute to identifying knowledge gaps and corresponding knowledge requirements to conduct more detailed feasibility studies.
- Have the ability to discuss and communicate various aspects of deep-sea mining with stakeholders from different parts of the society.
Knowledge and Skills
After completing the course, the student should be able to
- Propose a potential mining system for a given deep-sea deposit and be able to communicate how its characteristics affect cost structure and risks.
- Understand the link between spatial deposit variations and downstream processes and how these characteristics can be quantified.
- Know the value chain from exploration to extraction and finished product, including challenges associated with the society, environment, governance, and legal frameworks.
Learning methods and activities
Lectures and practicals. The course is evaluated by a reference group.
Both online and physical lectures and practicals will primarily be provided as block teaching sessions (teacher and guest lecturers from abroad) but some weekly lectures during some shorter time periods may be organized.
The dates for the block sessions and the weekly sessions will be decided when the course starts.
Further on evaluation
Written individual exam account for 60% of the final grade.
Practicals and an oral group presentation comprises a portfolio, and account for 40%. The students will develop the design and scope of equipment design for exploitation of marine minerals in a step-by-step approach. The students will submit a report based on the practicals, supported with scripts developed to generate the results. A preliminary version of the report is to be submitted in the middle of the semester. The students will have feedback on that report, and will use this in the further work with the report. The final report has to be submitted before the oral group presentation, which will take place in the end of the semester.
Both the written exam and the practicals and oral group presentation must be passed in order to pass the course. Students who have passed the course and would like to try to improve their grade will only re-take the final written exam, not the practicals and oral group presentation. Students who have failed the course but passed the practicals and oral group presentation will only re-take the final written exam.
If there is a re-sit examination, the form of assessment may be changed from written examination to oral examination.
Recommended previous knowledge
It is recommended that candidates have a basic knowledge in one or more of the following topics; marine operations, resource geology and mineral extraction.
Required previous knowledge
None.
Course materials
Lecture notes, scientific papers and other handouts.
Subject areas
- Mineral Production
- Mining Engineering
- Marine Technology