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

Figure 7: Graph of the relative section density per block
Figure 8: Schemativ view of a station’s content
Figure 8 illustrates station component data. Each component expresses a characteristic of the nodule
chemical content.
Figure 9 is a schematic
representation of the variability of
station data across the blocks. Note that
block 24 is from the Indian Ocean.
Figure 9: Variability of station data across
blocks
2. Compatibility of station
datasets from the different
pioneer investors
The Global data set that is
currently available to the International
Seabed Authority comes from a variety
of sources. Indeed, the original blocks
were explored and sampled by different
groups or organizations representing the
pioneer investors.
As can be seen in Figure 9 above,
there are differences between the average parameter values across the blocks. There have been several
attempts made by the International Seabed Authority to characterize those differences and perhaps take
action to identify possible sources of errors.
Errors were identified in some of the French blocks regarding measurements of nodule abundance.
The French acknowledged that and made corrections to their datasets.
Other parameters show marked differences in particular blocks. For example, cobalt is particularly low
in blocks 12, 18, 19 and 20. In addition, manganese in block 23 is significantly higher than in surrounding
blocks.
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