A seabed-resource lifting device causing deep-sea mud that contains rare-earth elements to rise from depths of 5000 m or more. This seabed-resource lifting device includes: a transport hose that includes a first hose and a second hose and that hangs from a resource-recovery vessel to the seabed; a crawler-type collector that includes a first suction chamber that sends mud from the seabed to the first hose, and a second suction chamber that sends mud from the seabed to the second hose; a water electrolyzer that, using electricity supplied from the resource-recovery vessel, electrolyzes water so as to generate hydrogen gas and oxygen gas; and a gas-injection device that injects the generated hydrogen gas and oxygen gas into the first suction chamber and the second suction chamber, respectively. Mud that contains rare-earth elements rises with sea water due to the buoyancy of the hydrogen gas or oxygen gas.

A buoyancy system for an underwater autonomous vehicle is provided. The buoyancy system includes one or more spherical pressure vessels with each vessel comprising two hemispherical pieces mechanically or adhesively connected together at a seam joint. Further, each vessel includes one or more bulkhead feedthroughs for connecting the vessels to external components and sensors of the buoyancy system. The buoyancy system also includes: (i) a primary pump connected to at least one of the one or more vessels to pump sea water from the one or more vessels; (ii) a pressure sensor connected to at least one of the one or more vessels; and (iii) a level sensor extending through all or a first subgroup of the one or more spherical pressure vessels to detect the level of sea water inside the one or more vessels.

A buoyancy system for an underwater autonomous vehicle is provided. The buoyancy system includes one or more spherical pressure vessels with each vessel comprising two hemispherical pieces mechanically or adhesively connected together at a seam joint. Further, each vessel includes one or more bulkhead feedthroughs for connecting the vessels to external components and sensors of the buoyancy system. The buoyancy system also includes: (i) a primary pump connected to at least one of the one or more vessels to pump sea water from the one or more vessels; (ii) a pressure sensor connected to at least one of the one or more vessels; and (iii) a level sensor extending through all or a first subgroup of the one or more spherical pressure vessels to detect the level of sea water inside the one or more vessels.

A deep-sea ore hydraulic lifting system with a deep-sea single high-pressure silo feeding device, comprises a water injection pump, a water injection riser, a deep-sea single high-pressure silo feeding device, a lifting riser, a dewatering device and a pipeline. The water injection pump and the dewatering device are fixed on a mining ship. The water injection pump is connected to the deep-sea single high-pressure silo feeding device through the water injection riser. The deep-sea single high-pressure silo feeding device is connected to the dewatering device through the lifting riser. The water injection pump is connected to the dewatering device through the pipeline. Seawater is pumped into the water injection riser by the water injection pump, then ore is fed into a high-pressure hydraulic pipeline by the deep-sea single high-pressure silo feeding device to be mixed with the seawater, and an obtained ore and seawater mixture is lifted.

A deep-sea ore hydraulic lifting system with a deep-sea single high-pressure silo feeding device, comprises a water injection pump, a water injection riser, a deep-sea single high-pressure silo feeding device, a lifting riser, a dewatering device and a pipeline. The water injection pump and the dewatering device are fixed on a mining ship. The water injection pump is connected to the deep-sea single high-pressure silo feeding device through the water injection riser. The deep-sea single high-pressure silo feeding device is connected to the dewatering device through the lifting riser. The water injection pump is connected to the dewatering device through the pipeline. Seawater is pumped into the water injection riser by the water injection pump, then ore is fed into a high-pressure hydraulic pipeline by the deep-sea single high-pressure silo feeding device to be mixed with the seawater, and an obtained ore and seawater mixture is lifted.

A mining vehicle for mining cobalt-rich crusts ore from the seabed includes a walking mechanism; a supporting arm, a crushing and collecting mechanism and a hydraulic circulation mechanism. The supporting arm is set on the walking mechanism, and a rotating structure is set at the connection between the supporting arm and the walking mechanism for realizing left-right rotation of the supporting arm; at the same time, the supporting arm can be realized to rotate up and down. The crushing and collecting mechanism is set at the front end of the hydraulic circulating mechanism for crushing the ores. The hydraulic circulating mechanism is set on the supporting arm and the walking mechanism, for collecting the ores, and for promoting flocculation and precipitation of the sediments, and for reducing the degree of particle diffusion.

A mining vehicle for mining cobalt-rich crusts ore from the seabed includes a walking mechanism; a supporting arm, a crushing and collecting mechanism and a hydraulic circulation mechanism. The supporting arm is set on the walking mechanism, and a rotating structure is set at the connection between the supporting arm and the walking mechanism for realizing left-right rotation of the supporting arm; at the same time, the supporting arm can be realized to rotate up and down. The crushing and collecting mechanism is set at the front end of the hydraulic circulating mechanism for crushing the ores. The hydraulic circulating mechanism is set on the supporting arm and the walking mechanism, for collecting the ores, and for promoting flocculation and precipitation of the sediments, and for reducing the degree of particle diffusion.

Intelligent algorithms and systems (vehicles and/or mechanisms) locate and extract economic sound concentrations of e.g. any combinations of nodules, manganese crusts and/or sulphide deposit, and separate uneconomic matter from valuable minerals by applying differences in electric and/or acoustic properties to differentiate economically valuable minerals from cost bearing unprofitable other matters (e.g. mud, gravel, rocks, organic matter), thus providing added profitability compared to existing mining machines. Complex and multiple sophisticated technological fields, including, but not limited to Geophysics, Advanced sensor technology (acoustic and electric parameter detection), Signal processing (feature extraction and pattern recognition), Machine learning/AI (classification algorithms and adaptive systems), Mechanical engineering (precision collection mechanisms), Real-time control systems (feedback-based operation), Economic modeling (dynamic threshold determination) are combined. Both independent systems and add-on vehicles to existing mining machines have been developed. Environmental impacts are minimized by the nature of the invented technical solutions. MS and/or AI methods and algorithms can be incorporated.

Intelligent algorithms and systems (vehicles and/or mechanisms) locate and extract economic sound concentrations of e.g. any combinations of nodules, manganese crusts and/or sulphide deposit, and separate uneconomic matter from valuable minerals by applying differences in electric and/or acoustic properties to differentiate economically valuable minerals from cost bearing unprofitable other matters (e.g. mud, gravel, rocks, organic matter), thus providing added profitability compared to existing mining machines. Complex and multiple sophisticated technological fields, including, but not limited to Geophysics, Advanced sensor technology (acoustic and electric parameter detection), Signal processing (feature extraction and pattern recognition), Machine learning/AI (classification algorithms and adaptive systems), Mechanical engineering (precision collection mechanisms), Real-time control systems (feedback-based operation), Economic modeling (dynamic threshold determination) are combined. Both independent systems and add-on vehicles to existing mining machines have been developed. Environmental impacts are minimized by the nature of the invented technical solutions. MS and/or AI methods and algorithms can be incorporated.

Described is a deep-sea mining vehicle for taking up mineral deposits from a seabed at great depth, and optionally transporting said deposits to a floating device. The vehicle includes a support frame provided with means for moving the vehicle forward on the seabed, a storage for the mineral deposits taken up, and further a suction head with an open suction side which is directed toward the seabed and along which the mineral deposits are taken up. The taking up of the mineral deposits and the transport thereof to an outlet, which is connected to a suction conduit leading to the storage, is supported by a gap-like feed opening for water which is connected to an inlet of the suction head and by a pressure chamber for carrying the water at a high exit speed through the feed opening and toward the outlet along an internal wall part which mutually connects the feed opening and the outlet. The wall part is curved such that the distance to the open suction side of the deep-sea mining vehicle decreases from the inlet and then increases again toward the outlet.