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Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority

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SUMMARY OF THE PRESENTATION ON THE STATUS OF THE DATA AND<br />

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF BRAZIL’S OFFSHORE MINING POLICY AS IT<br />

RELATES TO PROSPECTING AND EXPLORATION.<br />

Dr. Roberto Viera de Macedo, Adviser to the President of Petrobras<br />

S.A. of Brazil presented this paper, which he co-authored with Mr Walter<br />

Leitão of the Maritime and Environmental Law Sector of Petróleo Brasileiro<br />

S.A., and a member of the <strong>Authority</strong>’s Legal and Technical Commission. Dr.<br />

Viera de Macedo informed participants that his presentation would consist of<br />

a description of the minerals that may occur offshore Brazil, the achievements<br />

of Petrobrás in offshore exploration and production of oil and gas, and<br />

conclude it with a presentation of the Brazilian legislation for the exploration<br />

and production of petroleum and natural gas.<br />

Through slides, Dr. Viera de Macedo provided the workshop with<br />

information on the marine mineral deposits of Brazil. Dr. Viera de Macedo<br />

said that sand and gravel deposits are the main superficial sedimentary<br />

deposits in offshore Brazil. He said that because these deposits contain low<br />

unitary value commodities, and transportation costs play a significant role in<br />

the feasibility of their development, none of Brazil’s coastal deposits is<br />

presently exploitable. He said that the same conditions apply to limestone<br />

deposits that are found in abundant quantities offshore Brazil. He said that<br />

current demand is met from land-based sources, and that marine mining of<br />

limestone is not expected in the near future. Dr Viera de Macedo said that<br />

offshore phosphates are often found as nodules in Brazil. He said that the<br />

phosphate content of nodules and in offshore sediments in Brazil is very low,<br />

making offshore phosphate mining uneconomic now. With regard to sub-sea<br />

placer deposits, he said that deposits of heavy metals have been found along<br />

the coast in Brazil, from Para in the north of the country to Rio Grande do Sul<br />

in the south. He also said that offshore mining activities are restricted to<br />

coastal deposits of sub-sea placers.<br />

Dr. Viera de Macedo said that in relation to polymetallic nodules, the<br />

only chance of finding these kinds of deposits is close to the Saint Peter and<br />

Saint Paul rocks. He noted however that no such deposits have yet been<br />

INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY 837

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