ABSTRACT

Over the past few decades, the international community is showing more interest in the development of mineral deposits of the oceans, where there are rich deposits of polymetallic ores, the number of which greatly exceed reserves on land. To date, the most promising in terms of industrial development, are deposits of polymetallic nodules, polymetallic sulphide ores, cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts, hydrates and phosphorites. The largest companies in the U.S., UK, Canada, Germany are actively working to develop technical ways and means of extraction of polymetallic ores from the sea bottom.