Mining companies interested in a different yet more efficient method to extract minerals underwater should look into project VAMOS. This project is in the process of inventing a mining system that can be operated underwater whose main purpose is to access minerals underground in underwater unmined deposits as well as in deserted flooded mines, which are difficult to extract using standard mining techniques.
This robotic mining system opens up the way for reviving deserted and flooded mines that have open pits. The technology has the capability to lengthen the lifespan of opencast mines with high stripping ratios where huge quantities of waste rock require to be mined to obtain a given quantity of ore or with hydrological and geotechnical problems. This technology may lead to the opening of new environmentally conscious mines with a smaller environmental footprint.
As the process is remotely operated, it is so much safer as compared to conventional mining sites and has little to no negative impact on the environment as there are no explosions occurring, meaning no noise pollution and no air pollution as a result of dust from explosives. As the earth’s resources are finite and are rapidly being depleted, other modern mining approaches are positively influencing the industry.
These include:
Urban mining
E-waste consists of electronic products that are near the end of their useful life. So e-waste is basically discarded electronic appliances such as televisions and mobile phones. Recycling e-waste technologies are sometimes referred to as urban mining.
Space mining
Privately owned companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin who are already at the forefront in terms of space exploration, have ventured into Asteroid mining. Asteroid mining is the extraction of raw materials from asteroids as well as minor planets, which include comets.
Biomining
Biomining refers to the use of microbes (microorganisms) to obtain minerals from mine waste or rock ores. Precious metals are often found in solid minerals. The microbes are used to oxidize these metals, letting them dissolve in water. Biomining methods are also useful in cleaning up sites polluted with harmful metals.
Bitcoin mining
Bitcoin mining is exclusively done using ASIC miners. Miners process Bitcoin transactions and secure the network. Despite not involving any physical mines, bitcoin mining is called mining because the bitcoins occur in the protocol’s make up and just haven’t been discovered. It is said at some point that 21 million bitcoins will exist.
It would be great to see this underwater mining technique adopted by mining entities like GoldHaven Resources Corp. (CSE: GOH) (OTCQB: ATUMF).
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