Geophysical and Geological Investigations at the Palinuro Seamount

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The main objective of the project is to establish an areal coverage of electromagnetic (EM) measurements across the Palinuro Seamount (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy) to allow for the delineation of the lateral and possibly also the vertical extent of a previously detected and drilled seafloor massive sulfides (SMS) as well as for the detection of further unknown occurrences of SMS in the work area. Geophysical measurements are to be accompanied by geological investigations to allow for ground truthing and to yield parameters which are needed for a correct interpretation of the acquired geophysical data. Ultimately the joint interpretation of the acquired data will set up the framework to prepare for planed future investigations, where target-oriented drilling will help to fully characterize the Palinuro Seamount. This will be an important contribution to understand the geology and resource potential of extinct SMS systems in an island arc setting. In a broader sense the we hope to established an ideal test site for novel geophysical and geotechnical exploration tools for eSMS, since its proximity to the coast of Italy makes it a logistically easily accessible target.The work proposed here is technologically new and of interest to both academia and industry:The academic interest lies in the fact that these new EM exploration tools will allow to get a more complete understanding on the distribution of SMS systems in various tectonic settings, since it will help to shift the focus of investigations from the search for presently active systems to those, which are no longer active but potentially have left buried SMS as a hidden geological marker of past activity.The industrial relevance of the research is well documented through the industrial financing of an EM modeling study and equipment design through industry as well as industrial partners in the Blue Mining consortium. These new EM exploration tools can be used to identify buried massive sulfide deposits and derive information on their tonnage allowing a better assessment of the size of sulfide deposits and therefore also providing a better estimate of the resource potential of this type of marine mineral resource.