322 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
Island. More generally, the CCZ is between Mexico and
the Hawaiian Islands and in international waters where the
seabed resources are regulated by the International Seabed
Authority (ISA) of the United Nations. The CCZ nodules
were studied extensively in the 1970s, by several consortia,
as a potential source of copper and nickel. While the metals
of interest in nodules from the CCZ have traditionally been
primarily nickel and copper, the abundance of manganese
presents a commercially attractive byproduct for today’s
polymetallic nodule projects. While most polymetallic
nodule explorers (in association with sponsoring nations)
have exploration licenses for areas within the CCZ, as of
the writing of this paper the ISA has not issued any licenses
for exploitation or mining of the nodules to any explora-
tion companies.
Cook Islands Polymetallic Nodules
The abyssal plains of the nation of the Cook Islands are
known to contain massive deposits of polymetallic nod-
ules that are relatively high in cobalt content compared to
other nodules, such as the CCZ nodules, while lower in
nickel and copper. They also contain interesting amounts
of rare earth elements (REEs). Compared to CCZ nodules,
they have lower manganese concentrations and higher iron
concentrations.
Table 1 summarizes a comparison of the assays of Cook
Islands nodules and CCZ nodules.
ROV videography from large swaths of the Moana
Minerals exploration license area show consistent solid
coverage of the ocean bottom by nodules, packed tightly
together, with almost no open areas. (See Figure 2)
The nodules themselves are openly porous, with the
porosity continuous throughout the body of the nodule.
The pores are small, but the cumulative volume is large. The
free seawater contained in the pores is typically 30% of the
total mass of a freshly collected nodule. An additional mass
of the nodule (maybe up to 15%) is water of crystallization
that is bound up in the chemical matrix. Sections through
a nodule show that there are concentric layers of the oxy-
hydroxides, built up over many millions of years. The lim-
ited data from preparation for testing indicates that the
nodules will be easily ground for leaching. The porosity will
allow effective leaching at coarser grinds (P8075 microns).
Figure 1. Moana minerals license area
Table 1. Comparison of critical metal grades between Cook
Islands and CCZ nodules
Polymetallic
Nodule Deposits Co %Cu %Ni %Mn %Fe%
Cook Islands 0.5 0.1 0.25 15 19
CCZ (TOML-X) 0.2 1.0 1.3 25 7
Island. More generally, the CCZ is between Mexico and
the Hawaiian Islands and in international waters where the
seabed resources are regulated by the International Seabed
Authority (ISA) of the United Nations. The CCZ nodules
were studied extensively in the 1970s, by several consortia,
as a potential source of copper and nickel. While the metals
of interest in nodules from the CCZ have traditionally been
primarily nickel and copper, the abundance of manganese
presents a commercially attractive byproduct for today’s
polymetallic nodule projects. While most polymetallic
nodule explorers (in association with sponsoring nations)
have exploration licenses for areas within the CCZ, as of
the writing of this paper the ISA has not issued any licenses
for exploitation or mining of the nodules to any explora-
tion companies.
Cook Islands Polymetallic Nodules
The abyssal plains of the nation of the Cook Islands are
known to contain massive deposits of polymetallic nod-
ules that are relatively high in cobalt content compared to
other nodules, such as the CCZ nodules, while lower in
nickel and copper. They also contain interesting amounts
of rare earth elements (REEs). Compared to CCZ nodules,
they have lower manganese concentrations and higher iron
concentrations.
Table 1 summarizes a comparison of the assays of Cook
Islands nodules and CCZ nodules.
ROV videography from large swaths of the Moana
Minerals exploration license area show consistent solid
coverage of the ocean bottom by nodules, packed tightly
together, with almost no open areas. (See Figure 2)
The nodules themselves are openly porous, with the
porosity continuous throughout the body of the nodule.
The pores are small, but the cumulative volume is large. The
free seawater contained in the pores is typically 30% of the
total mass of a freshly collected nodule. An additional mass
of the nodule (maybe up to 15%) is water of crystallization
that is bound up in the chemical matrix. Sections through
a nodule show that there are concentric layers of the oxy-
hydroxides, built up over many millions of years. The lim-
ited data from preparation for testing indicates that the
nodules will be easily ground for leaching. The porosity will
allow effective leaching at coarser grinds (P8075 microns).
Figure 1. Moana minerals license area
Table 1. Comparison of critical metal grades between Cook
Islands and CCZ nodules
Polymetallic
Nodule Deposits Co %Cu %Ni %Mn %Fe%
Cook Islands 0.5 0.1 0.25 15 19
CCZ (TOML-X) 0.2 1.0 1.3 25 7