Deep Marine Mineral Resources

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xvi

   PDF

2. Study Summary

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

      PDF

   2. Study Summary

      • Yves Fouquet, Denis Lacroix

      Pages 3-37

3. Thematic Contributions

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 39-39

      PDF

   2. Deep-sea Environment

      • Joëlle Galéron

      Pages 41-54

   3. Rare and Strategic Metals

      • Yves Fouquet, Bruno Martel-Jantin

      Pages 55-64

   4. Characteristics and Formation Process

      • Yves Fouquet

      Pages 65-86

   5. Scientific Knowledge and Challenges Related to Hydrogen

      • Jean-Luc Charlou, Jean-Pierre Donval, Fabrice Brunet, Manuel Munoz, Olivier Vidal

      Pages 87-94

   6. International Law and Its Evolution

      • Élie Jarmache

      Pages 95-101

   7. Training Organisations and Establishments in France and Europe

      • Alain Cheilletz, Marcia Maia

      Pages 103-113

   8. Access to Raw Materials

      • Antoine Valéry

      Pages 115-120

   9. Conclusion

      • Yves Fouquet, Denis Lacroix

      Pages 121-122

4. Back Matter

   Pages 123-150

   PDF

The risks of shortages for some crucial metals and uncertainty about the land-based reserves of several others justify the search to diversify our sources of supply and investigate their potential. Mineral resources in the deep sea are attracting increasing interest with the progressive discovery of various forms of ores. France possesses large areas of deep seafloor in the three oceans as well as world-class human and technological resources and know-how, resulting from over 40 years of experience. This study takes stock of knowledge about mineralisations and associated metals, technologies for exploring and exploiting them, biodiversity and the potential impact of exploitation on the deep environment and the partnerships which are vital for France and Europe. This information will be useful for decision-makers in drawing up strategies, defining research and development programmes and in enhancing and developing commercial utilizations for these high-potential resources.

• biodiversity
• geology
• sea-bed
• technology
• hydrogeology

• Centre de Bretagne - GM, Ifremer, Plouzané, France

  Yves Fouquet

• Ifremer Sète, Sète cedex, France

  Denis Lacroix

Yves Fouquet, holding a PhD in metallogeny and an accreditation to direct research (HDR), joined Ifremer in 1982, where he is currently head of the Geochemistry and Metallogeny laboratory. He is one of the specialists in hydrothermal systems on ocean ridges. In 2010, he was awarded the Grande médaille Prince Albert 1^er de Monaco.

Denis Lacroix is an engineer by training with a PhD in animal science and has been a researcher at Ifremer for the past thirty years. He has worked in the field of aquaculture and in international relations, both in overseas France and the Mediterranean. Since 2006, he has led the foresight unit at Ifremer and was coordinator of the study on Marine renewable energy sources, published in 2009 by Editions Quæ.

Policies and ethics