marine mining

摘要

Marine mineral mining in the Southern African region is not a new development, but with expansion of initially exploration operations followed by mining, it is bound to become more controversial in the near future. Marine diamonds and heavy mineral sand deposits are actively mined and exploration for oil and gas continue along the coast of Southern Africa. The approval of phosphate exploration licences along the South-western coast of South Africa has caused a public outcry due to the potential negative environmental impact. Apart from placer deposits and phosphates, a range of other marine minerals are found along the coast and off-shore.