Learning outcomes expected at the level of the course (4 to 10 learning outcomes) |
After passing the exam, students are expected to:
- explain and distinguish mineral resources of the sea and seabed
- describe the methods of exploitation
- describe the economic aspects of the exploitation of mineral resources of the sea and seabed
- implement ”sustainable” development in certain industrial processes |
Course content broken down in detail by weekly class schedule (syllabus) |
1st week: Minerals expected in beach deposits.
2nd week: Submerged beaches.
3rd week: Beaches being exploited now and exploration methods.
4th week: Mineral raw materials from sea water. Extraction of minerals from
seawater: NaCl, magnesium compaunds, bromine, gold etc.
5 th week: Production of minerals in conjuction with the desalination of sea water.
6 th week: New technologies for mineral extraction from the sea.
7 th week: The concentration of elements by marine organisms.
8 th week: Superficial deposits of the continental shelf. Phosphate deposites -
distribution and exploration.
9 th week: Other minerals on the continental shelfves - glauconite, barium
sulphate, organic sediments, etc.
10 th week: Sediments of the ocean floor. Pelagic sediment. Calcareous and
siliceous oozes, red clay and other minerals.
11 th week: Manganese nodules. Physical characteristic of the nodules, methods of
exploration, concetraction of Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, etc.
12 th week: Associated sediments. Effect of ocean-floor currents and animals.
13 th week: Mining of superficial sediments from the ocean floor.
14 th week: Economic aspect of ocean mining.
15 th week: Legal problems involved in ocean mining - law of the sea.
Exercises:
During the practicum, students will gain the practical knowledge about how to prepare raw materials required for the technological process of obtaining magnesium oxide from sea water. List of laboratory exercises:
Exercise 1. Determining the optimal amount flocculent at 80% precipitation of magnesium hydroxide from seawater.
Exercise 2. Determining the influence the initial concentration of magnesium hydroxide on the sedimentation rate and concentration of the resulting suspension.
Exercise 3. Determining the influence the degree of completenes of precipitation on the rate of sedimentation of magnesium hydroxide.
Exercise 4. Determination of the optimal degree of completeness precipitation with appropriate quantities of the flocculent added.
Exercise 5. Calculation of a continuous thickener applying Kynch theory |
