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Mineral Resources | Research

About us

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Research priorities

The group focuses on the exploration of various marine mineral deposits (manganese nodules, massive sulphides, iron-manganese crusts, phosphorites) and analyses of their resource potential. Looking to the future, one research focus is the investigation of possible environmental impacts of deep-sea mining. The strategy group sees itself as an "honest broker" and sees its contribution in the unbiased dissemination of information to all stakeholders.

Distribution of Marine Mineral Resources

  • Resource research at regional level - setting up predictive models of possible mineral deposits (predictive mapping)
  • Production of geological maps of the deep sea
  • Global resource assessment and standardisation of work protocols taking into account numerical modelling.

Environmental consequences of deep-sea mining

  • Comprehensive assessment of the potential environmental impact of deep-sea mining
  • Establishment and control of environmental protection zones in the deep sea (Areas of Particular Environmental Interest)
  • Development of standards and guidelines for environmental assessment and the establishment of innovative technologies in the exploration of potential mining areas, pilot mining tests and potential mining activities
  • Development of environmentally friendly, zero-waste processing methods for manganese nodules and iron-manganese crusts
  • Legal control and monitoring of deep-sea resources

Stakeholder exchange

  • Advising politics and the economy
  • Public relations work in a wide range of media; taking into account social aspects and involving society in the issue of deep-sea mining with the aim of providing unbiased information to all stakeholders (honest broker).
  • Comparative assessment of the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining and other metal-extracting processes, such as land mining and recycling.

Current research work

Research projects and research cruises are the key activities that enable scientists to explore the unique world of deep-sea mineral deposits and their ecosystems. Below is a list of the most important research cruises planned for 2023:

MANGAN 2023

Route guidance: Carsten Rühlemann (BGR)

Period: April/May 2023

Research objective: Exploration work on manganese nodule deposits including environmental investigations in BGR's licence area in the Pacific.

M190 Dive@MAR

Route guidanceWolfgang Bach (MARUM)

PeriodJune/July 2023

Research objectiveHydrothermal systems at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between 29°10'N and 38°20'N (Rainbow, Menez Gwen, Lucky Strike, Broken Spur) and their different biogeochemistry in relation to the geological situation.

PS137 ALOIS

Route guidance: Vera Schlindwein (AWI)

Period: June/July 2023

Research objective:
Arctic Lithosphere-Ocean Interaction Study: Hydrothermal vent systems and lithosphere accretion at the ultraslow spreading Gakkel Ridge, Arctic Ocean (incl. H-ROV NUI, Woods Hole).

SO299 DYNAMET

Route guidance: Philipp Brandl (GEOMAR)

Period: June/July 2023

Research objective: Relationship between geodynamics, magmatism and deposit formation in the New Ireland Basin, Papua New Guinea (incl. ROV Kiel 6000).

M192 BridgeHell

Route guidanceSolveig Bühring (MARUM)

Period: Aug/Sept 2023

Research objective:
Exploration of hydrothermal systems in the Mediterranean Sea as a continuum from shallow systems near Milos to deep systems in the Aegean Sea.

SO300/Leg1 INDEX2023

Route guidance: Udo Barckhausen (BGR)

Period: Sept. 2023

Research objective: Exploration work on massive sulphide deposits including environmental investigations in BGR's licence area in the Indian Ocean

SO300/Leg2 INDEX2023

Route guidance: Thomas Kuhn (BGR)

Period: Oct/Nov 2023

Research objective: Exploration work on massive sulphide deposits including environmental investigations in BGR's licence area in the Indian Ocean (incl. ROV ROPOS).

M194 HEXPLORES

Route guidance: Nico Augustin (GEOMAR)

Period: Oct/Nov 2023

Research objective:
Exploration along the central Red Sea Rift (incl. ROV Kiel 6000).

SO301 SCIROCCO

Route guidance: Martin Engels (BGR)

Period: Nov/Dec 2023

Research objective: Relationship between magmatism, fault systems, the formation of OCCs and hydrothermal systems using the example of the 25°S OCC in the Indian Ocean.

KaBa secondary user project
Head: Andrea Koschinsky, Constructor University Bremen: Biogeochemical investigations of the hydrothermal plume of the Kairei field

More about the THema

Deep Sea Mining and the Global Carbon Cycle

An Overview by the Strategy Group Marine Mineral Resources

This story map illustrates the impact of different process steps of deep-sea mining on the global carbon cycle.

This story map shows the impact of various deep-sea mining processes on the global carbon cycle.

This story map is currently only available in English.
To the Story Map

Deep Sea Minerals Research

Understanding this potential resource and its environment

This story map briefly outlines the work of the scientific community to explore mineral deposits in some of the most remote and least understood areas of the planet, and the potential impact of human exploitation of these resources.

This story map outlines the work of the scientific community to explore mineral deposits in some of the most remote and least understood areas of the planet and the potential impacts of human exploitation of these resources.

This story map is currently only available in English.
To the Story Map

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Further information

Contact

German Marine Research Consortium e. V.

Markgrafenstr. 37
10117 Berlin
Germany
Tel: (+49) 030/200 747 90

Boulevard Saint Michel 80
1040 Brussels
Belgium

E-mail: info@deutsche-meeresforschung.de

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