ABSTRACT
Progresstowardstappingthevastalternativeenergyresourcesofthewaters ofthehighseas,inparticularthewatersofequatorialregions,andthehard mineralsofthedeepseabedthatareofvaluetosegmentsoftheenergy industry,hasbeenslowbutsteady.Severalcomplextechnologicalproblems requireresolution.Tocollecthardmineralmanganesenodulesfromthe oceanfloor,orexploitthemineralresourcesofcobaltcrustsfoundonthe seabed,theintensewaterpressuresassociatedwithoperationsatextreme depthsmustbeneutralizedthroughinnovativeandsophisticatedequipment. Further,thereistheeconomicaspectofcompetitiveland-basedminerals. Developmentoftheequipmentneededtogetattheseabedmineralsof interestrequiresanincrediblysubstantialfinancialcommitmentUnlessthe economicbottom-linejustifiessuchexpenditures,thereiseveryreasonto believethatexploitationbeyondthatnecessarytomerelyexamineandtest theeffectivenessofprototypesisnomorelikelytooccurthanis exploitationoftheenergyandrelatednaturalresourcepotentialofother extremeandharshterrestrialenvironments.
