Denne saken ble først publisert i GEO 2023 (kan bestilles her).
– We see the need for an improved coring technology that allows us to go deeper and retrieve cores at an angle, said Anette Broch Mathisen Tvedt, CEO of the Norwegian deep-sea minerals (DSM) explorer Adepth Minerals.
Tvedt spoke at last year’s Deep Sea Minerals conference in Bergen, hosted by GeoPublishing.
According to Tvedt, there are several steps that need to be taken before deep-sea mining can become a reality in Norway, including 1) knowing that the resources are there and in sufficient grades and tonnages, 2) that the resources can be extracted with limited environmental impact, 3) that the companies can show the value of the minerals for the society (e.g., needed for the green transition) and finally, that the technology is sufficiently advanced to fit the companies’ needs.
– Data is crucial for us. We are a data-driven company that will utilize data in a smart way and constantly look for new technology to improve exploration.
The speaker felt that the amount of available geophysical data sets is improving and expressed gratitude to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, as well as some universities, for sharing their data from past cruises in the deep sea, mainly along the Mohn’s and Knipovich ridges.
– What we in Adepth and the industry need now, is more physical samples to analyse. We need more cores.
Deep Sea Minerals 2023
Licence to Operate – Securing Minerals for the Green Shift – Technology & Innovation
Bergen 5. – 7. desember 2023
Adepth Minerals is developing a new concept for deep-sea coring together with Seabed Solutions and DeepOcean. The concept, FlexiCore, is based on land-based technology and equipment and consists of a coring system that is mounted on a marine excavator.
They have since tested the concept on land, as well as in the ocean together with the University of Bergen.
Tvedt and her team are also exploring fitting other sensors onto the excavator in order to collect geophysical and water column data in parallel with the coring operations.
– Our exploration toolbox should include many different tools and will include drilling, mapping and environmental monitoring technology.
– The combination of multiple complementary technologies will enable time and cost-efficient data collection, minimizing our environmental footprint and reducing emissions, Anette Broch Mathisen Tvedt concluded.