12
was considered in the 1970s and 1980s, little accessible
data was available and at times conflicting observations or
results were published. The authors believe that HPAL pro-
cessing deserves further investigation, with potential ben-
efits of higher extractions of nickel, copper and cobalt than
published competing technologies while also providing the
ability to valorize some of the manganese.
REFERENCES
[1] Dames and Moore, E.I.C. Corporation (1977)
Description of Manganese Nodule Processing
Activities for Environmental Studies. Vol. III.
Processing Systems Technical Analysis. U.S. Dep.
Commerce – NOAA, Office of Marine Minerals.
[2] AMC Consultants Pty Ltd. (2021) Technical Report
Summary: Initial Assessment of the NORI property,
Clarion-Clipperton Zone for Deep Green Metals Inc.
[3] Element 25 Limited (2023) Feasibility Study Battery
grade high purity manganese processing facility
https://www.element25.com.au/site/pdf/d53d05d9
-3bc8-4da9-b671-56d960c3bb28/HPMSM
-Feasibility-Study-Delivers-Outstanding-Economics
.pdf, last accessed 2024/04/04.
[4] Dreisinger D. (2018) International Seabed Authority.
https://www.isa.org.jm/wp-content/uploads
/2022/12/UKSR-1.pdf, last accessed 2024/04/04.
[5] Verbaan N (2022) “On shore processing of polyme-
tallic nodules,” Presentation provided to Deep Sea
Mining Summit.
[6] Agarwal JC, Barner HE, Beecher N, Davies DS,
Kust RN (1979) Kennecott Process for Recovery
of Copper, Nickel, Cobalt and Molybdenum from
Ocean Nodules. Society of Mining Engineer 31 No
12: 1704–1707.
[7] Szabo LJ. (1976) Recovery of Metal Values from
Manganese Deep Sea Nodules Using Ammoniacal
Cuprous Leach Solutions. U.S. Patent 3,983,017.
[8] Barner HE, Kust RN, Cox RP (1976) Elevated pres-
sure operation in the Cuprion Process. US Patent
3,988,416.
[9] Dreisinger D, Verbaan N, Canizares M (2022) The
demonstration of the Cuprion Process for recovery of
nickel, cobalt, copper and manganese from seabed nod-
ules. 61st Conference of Metallurgists, COM2022,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17425-4_86.
[10] Haynes BW, Law SL, Barron DC, Kramer GW, Maeda
R, Magyar MJ (1985) Laboratory Processing and
Characterization of Waste Materials from Manganese
Nodules. USBM Report of Investigation 8938.
[11] Seaborn C, Smit H and Halkyard J (2020) Harvesting
nodules from the seabed surface and extracting cobalt
nickel copper and manganese. ALTA 2020, Perth.
[12] Von Schroeter H, Sutherland A, Donald J (2020)
Deep-sea nodules: lower impact processing to
enable the green transition. 59th Conference of
Metallurgists, COM2020, Processing of Critical
Materials Symposium, ISBN: 978-1-926872-47-6.
[13] Boulby MN, Canaguier V, Donald JR (2022) Using
polymetallic nodules to innovate manganese mar-
kets: A new manganese feed for SiMn Alloy produc-
tion. 61st Conference of Metallurgists, COM2022,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17425-4_108.
[14] Boulby MN, Bradley K, Donald JR (2024) Production
of battery grade sulfates from deep-sea polyme-
tallic nodules. 63rd Conference of Metallurgists,
COM2024.
[15] Daniels, M (2021) Process for the recovery of
metals from oxidic ores. WIPO. Patent number
WO2021/028201A1.
[16] Alvarenga RAF, Preat N, Duhayon C, Dewulf J
(2022) Prospective life cycle assessment of metal
commodities obtained from deep-sea polymetallic
nodules, Journal of Cleaner Production 330. https://
doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129884.
[17] Han KN, Fuerstenau DW (1975) Acid leach-
ing of ocean manganese nodules at ele-
vated temperatures. International. Journal of
Mineral Processing 2: 163–171. https://doi.
org/10.1016/0301-7516(75)90019-8.
[18] Anand S, Das SC, Das RP, Jena PK (1988)
Leaching of manganese nodules at elevated tem-
perature and pressure in the presence of oxygen.
Hydrometallurgy 20 No 2: 155–168. https://doi
.org/10.1016/0304-386X(88)90049-7.
[19] Verbaan N and Johnson M (2024). “Revisiting Pressure
Acid Leaching of Seabed Polymetallic Nodules”. 63rd
Conference of Metallurgists, COM2024.
[20] Verbaan N (2024) “On shore processing of polyme-
tallic nodules: Revisiting Pressure Acid leaching. The
importance of piloting during development of criti-
cal minerals projects to avoid delay plant ramp-ups,”
Presentation provided to Deep Sea Mining Summit.
November 2024, Miami
was considered in the 1970s and 1980s, little accessible
data was available and at times conflicting observations or
results were published. The authors believe that HPAL pro-
cessing deserves further investigation, with potential ben-
efits of higher extractions of nickel, copper and cobalt than
published competing technologies while also providing the
ability to valorize some of the manganese.
REFERENCES
[1] Dames and Moore, E.I.C. Corporation (1977)
Description of Manganese Nodule Processing
Activities for Environmental Studies. Vol. III.
Processing Systems Technical Analysis. U.S. Dep.
Commerce – NOAA, Office of Marine Minerals.
[2] AMC Consultants Pty Ltd. (2021) Technical Report
Summary: Initial Assessment of the NORI property,
Clarion-Clipperton Zone for Deep Green Metals Inc.
[3] Element 25 Limited (2023) Feasibility Study Battery
grade high purity manganese processing facility
https://www.element25.com.au/site/pdf/d53d05d9
-3bc8-4da9-b671-56d960c3bb28/HPMSM
-Feasibility-Study-Delivers-Outstanding-Economics
.pdf, last accessed 2024/04/04.
[4] Dreisinger D. (2018) International Seabed Authority.
https://www.isa.org.jm/wp-content/uploads
/2022/12/UKSR-1.pdf, last accessed 2024/04/04.
[5] Verbaan N (2022) “On shore processing of polyme-
tallic nodules,” Presentation provided to Deep Sea
Mining Summit.
[6] Agarwal JC, Barner HE, Beecher N, Davies DS,
Kust RN (1979) Kennecott Process for Recovery
of Copper, Nickel, Cobalt and Molybdenum from
Ocean Nodules. Society of Mining Engineer 31 No
12: 1704–1707.
[7] Szabo LJ. (1976) Recovery of Metal Values from
Manganese Deep Sea Nodules Using Ammoniacal
Cuprous Leach Solutions. U.S. Patent 3,983,017.
[8] Barner HE, Kust RN, Cox RP (1976) Elevated pres-
sure operation in the Cuprion Process. US Patent
3,988,416.
[9] Dreisinger D, Verbaan N, Canizares M (2022) The
demonstration of the Cuprion Process for recovery of
nickel, cobalt, copper and manganese from seabed nod-
ules. 61st Conference of Metallurgists, COM2022,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17425-4_86.
[10] Haynes BW, Law SL, Barron DC, Kramer GW, Maeda
R, Magyar MJ (1985) Laboratory Processing and
Characterization of Waste Materials from Manganese
Nodules. USBM Report of Investigation 8938.
[11] Seaborn C, Smit H and Halkyard J (2020) Harvesting
nodules from the seabed surface and extracting cobalt
nickel copper and manganese. ALTA 2020, Perth.
[12] Von Schroeter H, Sutherland A, Donald J (2020)
Deep-sea nodules: lower impact processing to
enable the green transition. 59th Conference of
Metallurgists, COM2020, Processing of Critical
Materials Symposium, ISBN: 978-1-926872-47-6.
[13] Boulby MN, Canaguier V, Donald JR (2022) Using
polymetallic nodules to innovate manganese mar-
kets: A new manganese feed for SiMn Alloy produc-
tion. 61st Conference of Metallurgists, COM2022,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17425-4_108.
[14] Boulby MN, Bradley K, Donald JR (2024) Production
of battery grade sulfates from deep-sea polyme-
tallic nodules. 63rd Conference of Metallurgists,
COM2024.
[15] Daniels, M (2021) Process for the recovery of
metals from oxidic ores. WIPO. Patent number
WO2021/028201A1.
[16] Alvarenga RAF, Preat N, Duhayon C, Dewulf J
(2022) Prospective life cycle assessment of metal
commodities obtained from deep-sea polymetallic
nodules, Journal of Cleaner Production 330. https://
doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129884.
[17] Han KN, Fuerstenau DW (1975) Acid leach-
ing of ocean manganese nodules at ele-
vated temperatures. International. Journal of
Mineral Processing 2: 163–171. https://doi.
org/10.1016/0301-7516(75)90019-8.
[18] Anand S, Das SC, Das RP, Jena PK (1988)
Leaching of manganese nodules at elevated tem-
perature and pressure in the presence of oxygen.
Hydrometallurgy 20 No 2: 155–168. https://doi
.org/10.1016/0304-386X(88)90049-7.
[19] Verbaan N and Johnson M (2024). “Revisiting Pressure
Acid Leaching of Seabed Polymetallic Nodules”. 63rd
Conference of Metallurgists, COM2024.
[20] Verbaan N (2024) “On shore processing of polyme-
tallic nodules: Revisiting Pressure Acid leaching. The
importance of piloting during development of criti-
cal minerals projects to avoid delay plant ramp-ups,”
Presentation provided to Deep Sea Mining Summit.
November 2024, Miami