Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The workshop on mineral resources of marine areas beyond the limits
of national jurisdiction (“the Area”) was held in Kingston, Jamaica from 26 to
30 June 2000. This was the third in the series of workshops convened by the
International Seabed Authority to address issues of concern to the
international community related to the development of marine mineral
resources of the international seabed Area.
At the fourth session of the Authority in 1998, the Russian Federation
requested the Authority to adopt rules, regulations and procedures for
prospecting and exploring seafloor massive sulphide deposits and
ferromanganese crusts of the Area. It is to be recalled that up until then, the
only type of marine mineral resources of the Area that have been the subject
of the Authority’s rule making are deep seabed polymetallic nodules. Found
in the abyssal plains, a system for prospecting, exploration and exploitation of
polymetallic nodules has been extensively prescribed in the body of the
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and its Annex III (Basic
Conditions for Prospecting, Exploration and Exploitation), in the
modifications made to Part XI of the Convention, and contained in “The
Agreement Relating to the Implementation of Part XI of the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea”, and in the Regulations on Prospecting
and Exploration for polymetallic Nodules in the Area (ISBA/6/A/18). With
regard to the request by the Russian Federation therefore, the immediate
question is the applicability of the system prescribed for deep seabed
polymetallic nodules to the types of mineral resources contained in the
request.
Article 136 of the Convention declares the Area and its resources as the
common heritage of mankind. Both deep seabed polymetallic nodules of the
Area as well as seafloor massive sulphides and ferromanganese crusts of the
Area are the common heritage of mankind. Under the system prescribed for
deep seabed polymetallic nodules, taking into account the common heritage
principle, a prospector who seeks an exploration contract from the Authority
INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY 11