A deep sea mining method includes providing a deep sea mining system for mining matter from a bottom of a body of water, the mining system including: a slurry line coupled with a pump system to transport the slurry from the bottom of the body of water; and a return line in fluid communication with the slurry line and distinguishable from the slurry riser, for transporting non valuable slurry part to the bottom of the body of water, the return line having a return line outlet proximate the bottom. The deep sea mining method further includes spreading the non valuable slurry part over the bottom of the body of water in a controlled manner.

A deep sea mining method includes providing a deep sea mining system for mining matter from a bottom of a body of water, the mining system including: a slurry line coupled with a pump system to transport the slurry from the bottom of the body of water; and a return line in fluid communication with the slurry line and distinguishable from the slurry riser, for transporting non valuable slurry part to the bottom of the body of water, the return line having a return line outlet proximate the bottom. The deep sea mining method further includes spreading the non valuable slurry part over the bottom of the body of water in a controlled manner.

A piece of submarine mining equipment comprises an equipment body, a plurality of adaptive submarine mining collectors and respective mineral delivery pipes. The equipment body and the adaptive submarine mining collectors are connected through the mineral delivery pipes. The lengths, stretching out of the equipment body, of the mineral delivery pipes can be adjusted under control. The adaptive submarine mining collectors are provided with tracked traveling mechanisms and can autonomously travel under control. An underwater detector is used for detecting the submarine topography and mineral distribution in the vicinity of an operation area, and the traveling path of the submarine mining collectors and a mineral storage vehicle is reasonably planned according to detected information. The multiple adaptive submarine mining collectors simultaneously and independently work and are made light and small, thus reducing damage of mining operations to the submarine ecological environment. The equipment body can travel along flat submarine paths and avoid rough paths. Horizontal vortexes induced by the mining collectors can enhance the mining effect and improve the collecting power under unit power consumption so that fewer water pumps with smaller sizes can be configured, and the mining collectors have a smaller principle dimension, thereby greatly reducing energy consumption and being more environmentally friendly.

A piece of submarine mining equipment comprises an equipment body, a plurality of adaptive submarine mining collectors and respective mineral delivery pipes. The equipment body and the adaptive submarine mining collectors are connected through the mineral delivery pipes. The lengths, stretching out of the equipment body, of the mineral delivery pipes can be adjusted under control. The adaptive submarine mining collectors are provided with tracked traveling mechanisms and can autonomously travel under control. An underwater detector is used for detecting the submarine topography and mineral distribution in the vicinity of an operation area, and the traveling path of the submarine mining collectors and a mineral storage vehicle is reasonably planned according to detected information. The multiple adaptive submarine mining collectors simultaneously and independently work and are made light and small, thus reducing damage of mining operations to the submarine ecological environment. The equipment body can travel along flat submarine paths and avoid rough paths. Horizontal vortexes induced by the mining collectors can enhance the mining effect and improve the collecting power under unit power consumption so that fewer water pumps with smaller sizes can be configured, and the mining collectors have a smaller principle dimension, thereby greatly reducing energy consumption and being more environmentally friendly.

A system and method of off shore mining for retrieval and extraction of heavy mineral concentrate from placer deposits or other suitable materials. The system comprises a dredge vessel and a barge, coupled in conjunction to the dredge vessel. The dredge vessel having thereon a dredging unit, at least one gravity separator and spiral separators for procurement of total heavy minerals from dredged sediment and debris. The barge is configured to acquire and process the total heavy minerals, wherein the barge has thereon at least one magnetic separator, electro-magnetic separators, and density separators for separation of desired minerals based on their physical properties. The system further comprises at least one discharge conduit for tailing of wastes, leftover after extraction and separation of desired minerals, back into water bodies.

A system including a fluid injection system configured to removably couple to a mineral extraction system, wherein the fluid injection system includes a fluid injection system controller, a flow meter system coupled to the fluid injection system controller, wherein the flow meter system is configured to measure a fluid flow of a fluid through the fluid injection system, an adjustable valve configured to control the fluid flow through the fluid injection system, and a non-return valve configured to block reverse flow of the fluid through the fluid injection system, wherein the fluid injection system controller, the flow meter system, the adjustable valve, and the non-return valve are coupled to a common housing.

A system including a fluid injection system configured to removably couple to a mineral extraction system, wherein the fluid injection system includes a fluid injection system controller, a flow meter system coupled to the fluid injection system controller, wherein the flow meter system is configured to measure a fluid flow of a fluid through the fluid injection system, an adjustable valve configured to control the fluid flow through the fluid injection system, and a non-return valve configured to block reverse flow of the fluid through the fluid injection system, wherein the fluid injection system controller, the flow meter system, the adjustable valve, and the non-return valve are coupled to a common housing.

The pipe includes at least one tubular sheath delimiting a passage for circulation of the abrasive material, at least one tensile armor layer externally positioned with respect to the tubular sheath, the armor layer including a plurality of filiform armor elements. It further includes a protective internal layer positioned inside the tubular sheath in the circulation passage, the protective internal layer including an elastomeric matrix and a longitudinal reinforcement assembly embedded in the matrix.

The pipe includes at least one tubular sheath delimiting a passage for circulation of the abrasive material, at least one tensile armor layer externally positioned with respect to the tubular sheath, the armor layer including a plurality of filiform armor elements. It further includes a protective internal layer positioned inside the tubular sheath in the circulation passage, the protective internal layer including an elastomeric matrix and a longitudinal reinforcement assembly embedded in the matrix.

A device for monitoring deep-sea sediment environment in mining polymetallic nodules is provided. The monitoring system includes: acoustic Doppler flow profilers, a self-potential probe, a turbidity meter and an underwater camera. The invention can realize long-term in-situ observation of sediment disturbance, and can realize the mechanical recovery of probe rod-type equipment without large-scale mechanical devices, thereby reducing the overall weight of the recovery equipment and increasing the probability of successful equipment recovery. Compared with the existing long-term in-situ observation equipment on the seabed, it is more environmentally friendly, efficient, energy-saving and reliable.