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Initial results of India's environmental impact assessment of nodule mining

DRS at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography

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Title Initial results of India's environmental impact assessment of nodule mining
 
Creator Desa, E.
 
Subject environmental impact
mining
nodules
baseline studies
pollution monitoring
benthos
 
Description The Indian Deepsea Experiment (INDEX) was intiated in 1995, with the objective of predicting the environmental impact of nodule mining, in the Central Indian Basin. More than 20 scientists and technical staff of the National Institute of Oceanography have undertaken multi-disciplinary research on geological, biologica, physical and chemical parameters in 5 preselected areas leading to determination of the baseline conditions and selection of 2 areas as test and reference areas. Temperature and currents in the water column were also measured for different seasons from deepsea moorings deployed in the area. A benthic disturbance was simulated with a hydrautic device in an area of 3000 x 200 m over a period of 9 days during August 1997, resuspending more than 6000 cu m. of sediment. Initial post disturbance sutdies in the bottom waters, indicate that the sediment plume does not remain in the water column for more than a few days of disturbance. Observations from deeptowed camera surveys conducted 6-12 days after the disturbance, show the impact is more pronounced on the seafloor, in the form of deep trenches along the disturber tracks, piles of sediment adjacent to the tracks and resedimented areas with no traces of biological activity around the disturbed zone. The restoration process of the seafloor conditions as well as recolonisation by benthic organisms in and around the disturbance area, will be monitored with repeated observations, sampling and photographic devices over a period of 3-5 years
 
Date 2009-01-12T09:06:58Z
2009-01-12T09:06:58Z
1997
 
Type Conference Article
 
Identifier International Symposium on Environmental Studies for Deep-Sea Mining Proceedings. Current research and future strategies for enviornmental assessment of marine mineral resources development, 49-63p.
http://drs.nio.org/drs/handle/2264/2030
 
Language en
 
Rights Copyright [1997]. All efforts have been made to respect the copyright to the best of our knowledge. Inadvertent omissions, if brought to our notice, stand for correction and withdrawal of document from this repository.
 
Publisher Metal Mining Agency of Japan