An adaptor for attaching a tooth to the arm of a cutter head. The adaptor having a rear coupling end and a front coupling end with a main cavity. The main cavity has a first upper surface, a first lower surface and two joining side surfaces. Each side surface has a side groove with a second upper surface parallel to a second lower surface. The second upper surface is approximately parallel to a lower segment adjacent to the bottom end on the first lower surface and the second lower surface of the side grooves is approximately parallel to an upper segment adjacent to the bottom end on the first upper surface. A distance between the second upper surface and the second lower surface of each groove is smaller than a distance between the upper segment and the lower segment of the main cavity.

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 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.

Systems and methods for recovering and concentrating rare earth elements from seabed sediment deposits using seabed excavators and shipboard processing systems.

The tooth and adaptor for dredging machines. The tooth, attached to an adaptor, creates an assembly to deepen and clean the beds of ports, rivers, channels, etc., removing therefrom sludge, stones, sand, etc. The adaptor when attached to the blades forms the cutter head of the dredging machine. The constructive features of the coupling between the tooth and the adaptor allow improved stability between both elements, among other advantages.

A tooth for attachment to a cutter head arm. The tooth has a front wear part and a rear coupling part, the rear coupling part having a main body with a rear free end and a forward end. The main body has a first upper surface, a first lower surface and two side surfaces joining both upper and lower surfaces, with the distance between the first upper surface and first lower surface decreasing towards the rear free end, side projections, and upper and lower segments. Each side surface has a side projection with a second upper surface parallel to a second lower surface, the second upper surface approximately parallel to a lower segment, and the second lower surface approximately parallel to an upper segment. The distance between the second upper surface and the second lower surfaces is smaller than the distance between the upper segment and the lower segment.

An apparatus, system and method for removing and treating contaminated materials on a bottom of a body of water and introducing growth packets to revitalize the treated bottom of the body of water. The structure may comprise a vessel with an open face. The vessel may be lowered down to the bottom of the body of water with the face facing down. As a result, the vessel and the bottom form an isolated space. The structure may comprise at least one agitating device(s) for stirring up the materials inside the vessel so as to form a mixture containing the sediment materials which in turn contain the contaminants. Multiple at least one pipe(s) may be coupled to the vessel for transporting the mixture out of the vessel for processing (filtering, treating with chemicals, etc.) so as to neutralize or eliminate the contaminants in the mixture. Then, the treated mixture can be returned to the inside of the vessel via the at least one pipe(s).

The tooth and adaptor for dredging machines object of the present invention relates to a tooth which, attached to an adaptor, creates an assembly the purpose of which is to deepen and clean the beds of ports, rivers, channels, etc., removing therefrom sludge, stones, sand, etc., the adaptors being attached to the blades thus forming the cutter head of the dredging machine. The constructive features of the coupling between the tooth and the adaptor allow a great stability between both elements, among other advantages.

A vehicle (6) apparatus for removing material from the seabed is disclosed. The vehicle comprises first thrusters (10) for moving the vehicle vertically and second thrusters (12) for moving the vehicle horizontally. A collector unit (16) removes material from the seabed, and a latching mechanism (42) is adapted to be connected to a riser to enable removed material to be transported to a vessel on the surface.