The Metals Company (TMC) as well as Allseas have actually efficiently finished the first deep-water tests of the polymetallic blemish collection agency automobile in the Atlantic Ocean, TMC stated Thursday.
To remind, back in March, The Metals Company (TMC), a firm drawing out battery steels from seafloor polymetallic blemishes, stated it had along with its tactical companion as well as investor, Allseas, finished the implementation as well as wet-test appointing of their pilot robot blemish collection agency automobile at the Port of Rotterdam, to prepare for the deepwater screening in the Atlantic Ocean, which has actually currently been finished, also.
Describing the deepwater examinations, TMC stated: “Engineers successfully lowered the Allseas-designed collector vehicle to the seafloor at depths of 2,470 meters, marking the first time the vehicle had been subjected to ultra-deep-water temperatures and pressures. Engineers then subjected the vehicle to extensive testing of its various pumps and critical mobility functions, driving 1,018 meters across the seafloor.”
The pilot blemish collection agency automobile was released from the Hidden Gem (ex-spouse-Vitoria 10000) vessel as well as reduced to the seafloor.
The Allseas- developed nodule collection agency automobile waiting for launch from the Hidden Gem – Credit: TMC
“The pilot nodule collection system is so far performing beautifully throughout these trials, and getting the collector vehicle into the deep water in the Atlantic has given the team the opportunity to really pressure-test critical components,” said Gerard Barron, CEO & Chairman of The Metals Company. “I continue to be astounded by the planning and preparedness of Allseas engineers who are moving right along into wet-test commissioning and trial deployment of the riser system.”
Since 2019, Allseas and TMC have been working together to develop a pilot system to collect polymetallic nodules that sit unattached on the seafloor and lift them to the surface for transportation to shore. Nodules contain high grades of nickel, manganese, copper and cobalt — key metals required for building electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy technologies.
With this latest round of deep-sea trials, Allseas engineers will also test the deployment of components of the riser as well as the connection between the jumper hose and the collector vehicle.
“All of the tests to day remain in prep work for complete pilot blemish collection system tests later on this year over an 8 kilometres 2 area of the NORI-D agreement location in the Clarion Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean,” TMC said.
The trials are an integral part of the International Seabed Authority’s regulatory and permitting process and the environmental impact data collected both during and after this nodule collection test work will form the basis of the application for an exploitation contract by TMC’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Nauru Ocean Resources Inc. (NORI).
According to TMC, development of technologies to collect polymetallic nodules first began in the 1970s when oil, gas, and mining majors including Shell, Rio Tinto (Kennecott), and Sumitomo successfully conducted pilot test work in the CCZ, recovering over ten thousand tons of nodules.
“In the years given that, the ISA was developed to create the governing structure to regulate mineral removal in the high seas while innovation advancement initiatives have actually greatly concentrated on scaling tested blemish collection modern technologies as well as enhancing for very little seafloor disruption as well as ecological influence,” TMC stated.
An ROV-shot picture of the nodule collection agency automobile driving throughout the seafloor – Credit: TMC
