FAQs Archive

Q: E.7 How many days a year do you expect to be harvesting?

As we do not have any tethers and have a smart launch and recovery system, we can operate in a much wider range of sea states. V6 of our economic model assumes we can operate for 325 days a year.

Q: D.32 How long can the robots remain underwater to deal with weather and emergencies?

The duration that the AUV can remain on the seafloor is dependent on the amount of warning that it has, knowing that it will be remaining at the seafloor when it first enters the water. For example if the AUV has run a full mission and right as it is about to be pulled from the water needs to travel back to the seafloor due to a sudden situation that arises on the surface vessel, the AUV can remain at the seafloor for up to 42 hours before it will surface and communicate its location at the surface via satellite. If we have 4 hours of notice before the surface ship needs to leave the area, such as major weather events, all vehicles in the water will have entered the water knowing that they will be there for an extended period of time and can remain stationed at the seafloor for a total of 4 days. See also question D.18: How will the underwater robot respond to emergencies or system failures?

Q: G.3 Who makes competing dredging tractor and riser systems?

A list of deep sea dredging tractors + Eureka II AUV is here .

Q: G.1 Who are Impossible Metals competitors?

Impossible Metals has competition from land- and ocean-based mining companies for nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese.

Q: E.6 Does Impossible Metals require a ship-to-ship transfer in the ocean?

No. As we do not require a production support vessel (PSV) we do not need to do the following transfers to the Shuttle Transport And Resupply Ship (STARS): Transfer of nodules from the PSV Transfer of fuel to the PSV Transport of equipment and provisions to the PSV Transfer of personnel to and from the PSV per crew rotation. This will be very expensive, and there are safety concerns. It will also reduce the number of days a year the mining operation can operate. For more details, see STARS; the missing link in dsm supply chain.

E.7 How many days a year do you expect to be harvesting?

D.32 How long can the robots remain underwater to deal with weather and emergencies?

G.3 Who makes competing dredging tractor and riser systems?

G.2 Which countries control land-based mining for critical metals?

G.1 Who are Impossible Metals competitors?

E.6 Does Impossible Metals require a ship-to-ship transfer in the ocean?

Impossible Metals

STAY INFORMED

Connect with Us

Policies

STAY INFORMED

Connect with Us

Impossible Metals

Policies