The Potential of Rare Earth Deposits in the Deep-Sea Environment
The Potential of Rare Earth Deposits in the Deep-Sea Environment
复制标题
深海环境中稀土矿床的潜力
DOI：
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发表时间：
2014
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
T. V. Gerwe
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
T. V. Gerwe
由于过去十年稀土元素的高资源价格，公司和政府正在投资研究以寻找新的矿床和创新。本论文的目的是测量深海环境中稀土矿床的潜力。这是通过广泛而广泛的文献研究，重点是供应和需求，结合几个现金流量分析。将对深海采矿的替代办法进行一些研究，例如稀土元素的回收和替代。公众舆论和《联合国海洋法公约》等障碍也将被讨论，这些障碍可以弥补潜力。本文表明，传统采矿方法可以满足未来40年的世界需求。对于需求量大但没有资源的国家，也可以在今后30年内得到供应。除此之外，现金流动分析表明，在可预见的将来，在深海环境中开采稀土矿床在经济上是不可行的。此外，深海的生态是独特的，已经开始公开辩论。此外，几乎不可能在国际沃茨开始采矿，因为《联合国海洋法公约》禁止这样做。虽然回收和替代发展仍处于起步阶段，但国家和矿业公司投资于这些替代方法。各国更有可能继续投资于这些技术，而不是深海采矿。总而言之，可以得出结论，在未来几十年，深海环境中稀土矿床的潜力将非常低。
Because of high resource prices for rare earth elements over the last decade, companies and governments are investing in research in finding new deposits and innovations. The purpose of this thesis is to measure the potential of rare earth deposits in the deep-sea environment. This is done by a wide and extensive literature study with a focus on supply and demand, combined with several cash flow analyses. Some research will be on alternatives for deep-sea mining; for example recycling and substitution of rare earth elements. Obstacles like the public opinion and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which can square up the potential, will be discussed as well. This thesis shows that conventional mining methods can answer to the world demand for the next 40 years. Nations with high demand, but without resources, can also be supplied for the upcoming 30 years. On top of this, cash flow analyses show that mining of rare earth deposits in the deep-sea environment will not be economically feasible in the foreseeable future. Also, the ecology of the deep-sea is unique and is already starting a public debate. Furthermore, it is almost impossible to start mining in international waters, as the United Nations Convention of the Law on the Sea prohibits this. Although recycling and substitution developments are in their infancy, nations and mining companies invest in these alternative methods. It is more likely for nations to continue to invest in these technologies rather than deep-sea mining. All-in-all it can be concluded that the potential of rare earth deposits in the deep-sea environment will be extremely low during the upcoming decades.