Deep-sea mining firm Glomar Minerals announced that its wholly owned subsidiary UK Seabed Resources Limited (UKSR) will embark on its fourth major exploration campaign to the Pacific Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ) this week.
Nodules found within the company’s two CCZ license areas – together the size of Louisiana – are rich in manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, and rare earths – minerals critical to defense, aerospace, energy, and modern manufacturing, Glomar said.
The new 75-day research mission will be the first to gather geological and biological samples in UKSR’s second license area – UK2 – in over forty years, the company said, adding that this will build on the extensive exploration work already conducted in UK1 since 2015.
“This marks the start of our sampling campaign in UK2, but U.S. historical data shows this to be one of the most promising areas for mineral resources anywhere in the Pacific,” Glomar Minerals CEO Chris Williams said in a news release.
“Combined with our 10 years of research in UK1, we are proud to be building one of the largest and most advanced seabed minerals projects in the world,” Williams said.
The environmental data collected will contribute to ongoing efforts to understand and minimize the potential impacts of future nodule recovery, and the findings from this expedition will be shared through peer-reviewed publications and public databases, the company said.
In May, Glomar Minerals announced Project Infinity, a consortium agreement with Cobalt Blue Holdings Limited (ASX: COB) to build a domestic critical minerals processing facility in the United States.
Project Infinity, which has narrowed to four finalist sites across Louisiana, North Carolina, and Texas, is designed to refine polymetallic nodules and terrestrial cobalt into market-ready materials.
