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Workshop on the Establishment of a Geological Model of ...

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Figure 7: Topography <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Clari<strong>on</strong>‐Clippert<strong>on</strong> Z<strong>on</strong>e (modified from GEBCO & Yuzmorgeologiya, 1990)<br />

<strong>Geological</strong>ly <strong>the</strong> CCZ is located within (westward): (1) <strong>the</strong> western flank <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> East Pacific Rise; (2) <strong>the</strong><br />

abyssal plain; and (3) <strong>the</strong> eastern flank <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> volcanic Line Islands Chain).<br />

Many researches c<strong>on</strong>sider that bottom relief has a str<strong>on</strong>g influence <strong>on</strong> nodule abundance and grade.<br />

There is a general c<strong>on</strong>cept that <strong>the</strong> highest abundance <strong>of</strong> nodules is generally associated with high relief. It is<br />

explained by <strong>the</strong> availability <strong>of</strong> more nucleating material originating from volcanic activity or by <strong>the</strong><br />

wea<strong>the</strong>ring process <strong>of</strong> basaltic rock. On <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand, in many parts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> CCZ, no correlati<strong>on</strong> was<br />

observed between nodule occurrence and <strong>the</strong> depths <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ocean floor or with its morphology.<br />

One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> first objectives <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> geological model is to establish within <strong>the</strong> CCZ <strong>the</strong> relati<strong>on</strong>ship<br />

between nodule abundance and grade and <strong>the</strong> depths <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sea bottom and its morphology <strong>on</strong> a global and<br />

regi<strong>on</strong>al scale.<br />

Nodule abundance<br />

A natural phenomen<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> CCZ is that polymetallic nodules are c<strong>on</strong>tinuously distributed over<br />

large areas throughout its entire length (from l<strong>on</strong>gitudes 110 o W to 160 o W) between <strong>the</strong> Clari<strong>on</strong> and<br />

Clippert<strong>on</strong> transform faults. They cover <strong>the</strong> entire ocean floor surface <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> CCZ abyssal plain with its highs<br />

and lows. Of course, <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>tinuity <strong>of</strong> nodule coverage is interrupted by certain gaps, but nodules still<br />

populate large fields, generally <strong>of</strong> a l<strong>on</strong>gitudinal or sub‐l<strong>on</strong>gitudinal extensi<strong>on</strong>. Nodule abundance varies from<br />

1‐2 to 20‐30 kg/m 2 but in general, it averages 5‐10 kg/m 2 , although nodule c<strong>on</strong>centrati<strong>on</strong>s <strong>of</strong> more <strong>the</strong>n 15‐<br />

20 kg/m 2 are found in all parts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> CCZ.<br />

According to <strong>the</strong> ISA Secretariat’s statistical analysis <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> POLYDAT database, <strong>the</strong> abundance within<br />

<strong>the</strong> reserved areas has a wide range <strong>of</strong> values from 0 kg/m 2 to 30.19 kg/m 2 with an average <strong>of</strong> 6.12 kg/m 2 .<br />

The histogram <strong>of</strong> abundance indicates that over 7.5 per cent <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> stati<strong>on</strong>s have abundance values <strong>of</strong> 0.0<br />

kg/m 2 and that over 14 per cent <strong>of</strong> all stati<strong>on</strong>s have very low abundance values.<br />

117 | P age

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