Nautilus Minerals Pacific Pty Ltd

Nautilus Minerals Singapore Pte Ltd

Eda Kopa (solwara) Limited

Nautilius Minerals Singapore Pte Ltd

Soil Machine Dynamics Limited

Eda Kopa Limited

Roland Gunter Berndt

Sean Michael Plunkett

John Michael Parianos

Daal Hallam Jaffers

Glen Robert Jones

Glen Smith

Michael Howitt

Anthony Paul O'Sullivan

Antony Eliot Inglis

Nicholas William Ridley

Ian Maskell

Malcolm Leishman Roper

Glen Martindale Smith

Anthony Paul O'SULLIVAN

A multi-stage seafloor mining system that has at least concentration stage, a reclamation stage, and a haulage stage. The system includes a concentrating system () that processes seafloor materials, a reclaimer machine () that collects the processed seafloor materials, and a mechanical haulage system () that receives the processed seafloor materials collected by the reclaimer machine () and conveys discrete parcels of the processed seafloor materials to a surface vessel ().

Decoupled seafloor mining system

A seafloor haulage system (), for lifting seafloor materials from the seafloor to the surface, that has a line member (), preferably synthetic rope, that extends at least partially between the seafloor and the surface and a container (), preferably a plurality of containers, capable of carrying a load connected to the line member (). The containers have a steerable element (), such as a rudder, that enables the container to manoeuvre as it is propelled, typically towed by the line member, through the water.

Seafloor haulage system

A seafloor nodule concentrating system is provided. The seafloor nodule concentrating system has a surface vessel and an undersea steering vehicle secured to the surface vessel. The undersea steering vehicle is adapted to be towed by the surface vessel. The seafloor nodule concentrating system also has a nodule collecting apparatus connected to the undersea steering vehicle. The nodule collecting apparatus is located on the seafloor. The seafloor nodule concentrating system also has a position determination device adapted to determine the position of the nodule collecting apparatus and communicate position information of the nodule collecting apparatus to the undersea steering vehicle and surface vessel.

Seafloor nodule concentrating system and method

A system and method for stockpiling material on the seafloor, the system and method using seafloor collection machines, such auxiliary or bulk cutters or collection machines, to capture seafloor material to be stockpiled. The captured seafloor material is carried in slurry form over a flexible transfer pipe to an outlet at a desired seafloor site. In a preferred form the outlet is mounted in a seafloor stockpiling hood that sits on the seafloor at the desired seafloor site and captures and contains slurry from the outlet while allowing egress of water. The captured seafloor material can then be extracted to a surface vessel.

System and method for seafloor stockpiling

A self cleaning collecting apparatus and method are provided for the collection of seafloor material. The collecting apparatus, which operates on a seafloor, has a plurality of rotating discs in front of a slurry suction pipe with clearing members located between adjacent discs. Any oversize material lodged in the discs during collection is dislodged by the one or more clearing members and prevented from entering the slurry suction pipe, thus preventing blockages caused by oversize material congesting the slurry suction pipe.

Self cleaning collection apparatus and method

A seafloor auxiliary mining tool for use in a seafloor mining system. The seafloor auxiliary mining tool has a seafloor locomotion system enabling traversal of the seafloor. Umbilical connections receive power and control signals from a surface source. A boom mounted auxiliary cutting tool is configured to cut extremities of a seafloor deposit. Cuttings produced by the auxiliary cutting tool are sized by sizing means, to ensure such cuttings are no greater than a desired size.

Method and apparatus for auxilary seafloor mining

A seafloor bulk mining tool for production cutting of a seafloor bench. The tool uses a tracked locomotion system to travel across a seafloor bench. Power and control interfaces receive power and control signals from a surface source. The tool has a drum cutter for cutting the bench, and a sizing grill adjacent the drum cutter for sizing cuttings as they are produced by the drum cutter. A drum shroud may also be provided to help contain cuttings. A suction inlet can be used to capture cuttings as they are produced, for example in conjunction with a spade and augers.

Method and apparatus for bulk seafloor mining

A system for seafloor mining. A seafloor auxiliary mining tool works a seafloor site to prepare a bench, and deposits cut ore in a gathering area. A seafloor bulk mining tool undertakes production cutting of a bench and deposits cut ore in a gathering area. A seafloor gathering machine gathers cut ore deposited in the gathering area and pumps gathered ore as a slurry to a riser base. A riser and lifting system receives slurry from the gathering machine and lifts the slurry to the surface. A surface vessel receives slurry from the riser and lifting system.

Growing community of inventors

Milton, Australia

Roland Gunter Berndt