OXFORD,
Miss. – Faced with a sagging global economy, marine mining promises to
remain a steady – even growing – commercial enterprise. However,
experts agree that as the extraction technology develops, so does the
need for greater environmental awareness and protection.
Such
was the consensus reached Tuesday (Nov. 18) during the opening session
of the 38th annual conference of the Underwater Mining Institute hosted
at the University of Mississippi. Approximately 80 members of the
International Marine Minerals Society are attending the two-day meeting.
“Substantial technological progress has been made during the past several years in efforts to advance exploration and mineral recovery techniques for deep seabed minerals. This year’s conference includes presentations from distinguished professionals representing an excellent group of international firms that have in recent years been making solid progress toward the development of reliable technologies for marine mining,” said Charles Morgan, UMI program chair and former president of IMMS. Morgan is affiliated with the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory.
Besides technology development, conference sessions will address the environmental impacts of marine mining operations.
Philomene Verlaan, IMMS secretary, will present her recommendations of how the 2001 Code for Environmental Management of Marine Mining should be updated, as well as an analysis of suggested changes received from others, Morgan said.
“If possible, the IMMS will take action to amend the Code as appropriate during the annual meeting on the morning of the second day of the conference,” he said.
Robin Buchannon, UM’s assistant vice chancellor for Research and Sponsored Programs, is the technical program co-chair and conference host. She credited the late Professor James Robert “Bob” Woolsey, who died July 9 in an automobile accident, as having played a major role in planning the program.
“As director of the Center for Marine Resources and Environmental Technology and Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute (at UM), Dr. Woolsey was a distinguished contributor and supporter of marine minerals exploration and development,” Buchannon said. “He was instrumental in organizing this year’s special session on MMRI technology.”
A tribute to Woolsey is included in the conference program. Also, his daughter Emily Woolsey of Oxford, a senior engineering major at UM, will lead the participants on a field tour of the Mississippi Delta Region, North American Coal Company in Ackerman, Tinsley Oil Field near Jackson and the Engineer Research and Development Center in Vicksburg.
Established in 1970, the Underwater Mining Institute is an annual conference that draws on the worldwide expertise of researchers, industry professionals, and environmental, resource and policy managers to provide the latest information relevant to seabed minerals. The theme varies each year, as does the location and host. Past venues include Canada, England, Korea, Germany and Japan. To date more than 25 nations have been represented at the UMI.
The Institute has an established history of fostering multidisciplinary debate on complex topics related to seabed development. As the conference’s primary sponsor, IMMS owes no allegiance to any particular commercial, academic or government body and thus serves as an independent voice on marine minerals issues.
Other sponsors of UMI 2008 are the University of Mississippi, University of Southern Mississippi, International Seabed Authority, National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology, Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory and Marine Technology Society.