DEEP SEA MINERALS - Vol 1 - Sea-Floor Massive Sulphides

4.1.3. Resource evaluation Following prospect delineation, the best SMS prospects are advanced to resource status by systematic resource drilling and sampling. This allows a three-dimensional estimate to be made of the deposit’s size.

• ROV mapping using video cameras on a systematic grid or traverse through the target area; • grab sampling from the ROV to collect samples from the tar- get area; • ROV-based geophysical surveys to define the approximate resource boundaries on the sea-floor; and • high-resolution bathymetry surveys. • Prospect delineation provides a two-dimensional picture of the deposit, which allows an estimation to be made regard- ing the deposit’s surface area.

High-resolution multi-beam bathymetric image acquired during one of the EMEPC campaigns. Photo courtesy of EMEPC.

Sample collected by the ROV LUSO near S. Miguel Island (Azores). Photo courtesy of EMEPC.

ROV maintenance. Photo courtesy of EMEPC.

ROV dives near the Azores Islands. Photo courtesy of EMEPC.

THE GEOLOGY OF SEA-FLOOR MASSIVE SULPHIDES 47