All-Russia Research Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources of the World Ocean (VNIIOkeangeologiya) (Saint Petersburg, Russia):

Andreev S. I., Head of Department, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, e-mail: Andreev@vniio.ru
Kazakova V. E., Senior Researcher
Babaeva S. F., Leading Researcher, Assistant Professor, Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences

Saint Petersburg State University (Saint Petersburg, Russia):
Cherkashev G. A., Professor, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences

The dedicated research and prospection works in the World ocean were started in Russia in the middle of 1970-s. By the present day, Russian Geological Service has discovered large accumulations of ferrimanganese concretions, cobalt-manganese crusts and deep-water polymetallic sulfides. The Service has also prepared the Applications under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and concluded the 15-year contracts with International Sea-Bed Authority for prospection in the application areas. According to the preliminary geological and commercial estimates, the ferrimanganese concretion object is unique complex deposit of Ni, Cu, Co and Mo, while the cobalt-manganese crust object is very large deposit of Co, and the deep-water polymetallic sulfide object is large and extremely rich deposit of Cu. Very strict contractual conditions of immediate development of the deposits will come into force upon the completion of the prospection works (2020 for ferrimanganese concretions and 2025 for deep-water polymetallic sulfides). In this regard, dealing with the problem of oceanic mineral resources requires a provision of equipment and vessels, and a scenario of production of sea minerals in the nearest years.

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3. Andreev S. I., Anikeeva L. I., Kazakova V. E., Smirnov A. N. Mineralnye resursy Rossii – Mineral resources of Russia, 2011, No. 6, pp. 1–12.
4. Andreev S. I. Metallogeniya zhelezomargantsevykh obrazovaniy Tikhogo okeana (Metallogeny of ferrimanganese formations of Pacific Ocean). Saint Petersburg : Nedra. Saint Petersburg Department, 1994, pp. 1– 90.
5. Talassokhimiya rudogeneza Mirovogo okeana (Talassochemistry of ore genesis of the World Ocean). Chief Editor: S. I. Andreev. Saint Petersburg : VNIIOkeangeologiya, 2009, 222 p.
6. Russia Signs Exploration Contract with ISA. International Seabed Authority. Moscow, October 29, 2012.
7. Andreev S. I., Anikeeva L. I. Minerageniya Mirovogo okeana. Entsiklopedicheskiy spravochnik "Planeta Zemlya" (Minerageny of the World Ocean. Encyclopaedic reference book "Planet Earth"). Saint Petersburg : Publishing House of A. P. Karpinsky Russian Geological Research Institute, 2008, pp. 233–248.
8. Anikeeva L. I., Andreev S. I., Kazakova V. E., Aleksandrov P. A. Platinoidy v zhelezomargantsevykh obrazovaniyakh Mirovogo okeana (Platinoids in ferrimanganese formations of the World Ocean). Platina Rossii : sbornik nauchnykh trudov (Platinum of Russia : collection of scientific proceedings). Krasnoysrsk, 2011, Vol. VII, pp. 106–112.
9. Melnikov M. E. Mestorozhdeniya kobaltonosnykh margantsevykh korok (Deposits of cobalt-bearing manganese crusts). Gelendzhik : Yuzhmorgeologiya, 2005, 230 p.
10. Andreev S. I., Kazakova V. E., Romanova L. N. Gornyi Zhurnal – Mining Journal, 2012, No. 3, pp. 7–17.
11. Andreev S. I., Gramberg I. S., Krasnyy L. I., Shcheglov A. D. Osnovnye cherty geologii i mineragenii Mira (Basic characteristics of geology and minerageny of the World). Saint Petersburg : Publishing House of A. P. Karpinsky Russian Geological Research Institute, 1997, 44 p.
12. Geologiya i minerageniya dalnevostochnykh morey Rossii. Tverdye poleznye iskopaemye (Geology and minerageny of Far Eastern Seas of Russia. Solid minerals). Science editor: S. I. Andreev. Saint Petersburg : VNIIOkeangeologiya, 2012, 126 p.
13. Andreev S. I., Anikeeva L. I. Osnovy mineragenii Mirovogo okeana (Basis of minerageny of the World Ocean). Smirnovskiy sbornik (Smirnov collections). 2013. Moscow : Academician V. I. Smirnov Fund, 2012, pp. 23–48.