日本周辺海域に分布する海底熱水鉱床の開発プロジェクトの概要

抄録

For the future development of seafloor massive sulfides (SMS) in the EEZ of Japan, efforts to exploration and technological development have been enhanced. Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) formulated "Plan for the development of ocean energy and mineral resources" in 2009, and it was amended in December 2013. In this plan, four technological fields of SMS have been carried out in parallel, respectively, Resource evaluation, Environmental impact assessment, Mining system techniques and Processing techniques. Toward the development and commercialization of SMS, We need many technical and social challenges. In order to achieve these challenges, we have to have a strategic vision. We must challenge to develop SMS through collaboration between industry, educational institutions and the administration of Japan. In this paper, current circumstances and issues of the development of SMS are presented.