In the New York Times article "Mining the Seafloor for rare-earth minerals", it states that for decades people have been trying to become rich by gathering up rocks which carpet the sea floor. These rocks, about the size of potatoes, are plentiful in nickel, copper, and cobalt. They also contain manganese and other elements, but lie down in the inky darkness. Using vacuum machines to collect these stones is not considered economical, therefore other methods are being considered.
They are now finding that these specimens may contain so-called rare-earth minerals (elements that have wide commercial and military application). China, which controls some 95 percent of the world’s supply, had blocked shipments, sounding political alarms around the globe and a rush for alternatives.
“People are quite intrigued,” said James R. Hein, a geologist with the United State Geological Survey who specializes in seabed minerals. Depending on China’s behavior and the global reaction, he said, “rare earths may be the driving force in the near future.”
The value of these stones is increasing as people realize there worth. Scientists plan to evaluate some 5,000 stones to assert there worth. The elements known as rare earths number 17 in all and range from cerium and dysprosium to thulium and yttrium. This element can be used in many technologies, such as magnets, lasers, fiber optics, computer disk drives, fluorescent lamps, rechargeable batteries, catalytic converters, computer memory chips, X-rays tubes, high-temperature superconductors and the liquid-crystal displays of televisions and computer monitors.
Due to strict mining laws established through environmental protection makes it difficult to mine these stones. China is the biggest area for mining to to there less strict laws. Scientist such as Dr. Hein of geological surveys said dwindling supplies of terrestrial copper — a key ingredient of industrialization used in everything from wires and switches to pipes and roofs — have forced miners on land to go after increasingly low grades of ore and have raised interest in seabed resources.
These finding have caused a global interest in these stones and finding new ways to harvest them.
I find it so interesting how little we know about the planet we live on. Who would've thought rocks on the bottom of the ocean would contain so much usable material?
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