Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority

deposits and gas hydrates of the continental shelf beyond the 200-mile limit of
the world’s margins. This part also contains case studies on the development
of the Namibian offshore diamond industry and of an environmental baseline
that was established to help protect important fisheries that are associated
with the Benguela Current.
Part 4 focuses on regulatory and promotional frameworks in countries
that have established profitable marine mining industries. It begins with a
status report of the data and information requirements of Namibia’s
legislation with respect to offshore diamond exploration and mining, followed
by the information and data that are required of contractors operating in
marine areas in Norway, Brazil and Indonesia, in respect of offshore
hydrocarbons and natural gas, and the role of SOPAC in promoting
exploration for marine mineral resources in the Pacific region.
During the five days of the workshop, 21 formal presentations that
included slides and videos were made and a great deal of valuable
discussions and interaction took place among the participants. Slides and
videos during the workshop demonstrated state-of-the-art technologies that
could be applied to exploration for seafloor massive sulphides deposits, the
types of mineral resources to be found in the Area and the oasis of life to be
found in and around seafloor polymetallic massive sulphides deposits among
other things.
On behalf of the International Seabed Authority, I wish to express my
gratitude to the participants in the workshop, especially the scientists for the
valuable information that they provided during the workshop on the marine
scientific research being undertaken that has resulted in discovery of these
new and exciting mineral resources.
Satya N. Nandan
Secretary-General
International Seabed Authority
Kingston, Jamaica
INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY 4