Autonomous underwater vehicles for mineral mining on continental shelf

In the current conditions of depleted mineral resources on mainlands, it is high time to extract minerals on the continental shelf. Marine mining requires safe and reliable technologies and equipment such that emergences and off-normal situations are excluded. Marine mineral mining operations use cardinally new engineering solutions, beyond the limits of the conventional technologies available for the onshore extraction of mineral resources. Mineral mining on the seabed and lifting to the water surface calls for the reliable equipment meant for safe and continuous operation. A promising trend in this area is manufacture and use of autonomous underwater vehicles for unmanned mining and haulage of minerals. Autonomous underwater vehicles can operate at great depths, in various climates and at low visibility, at minimized energy consumption and without add-ons. Autonomous underwater vehicles have a complex lifting facility, including gas generators, which are heavy and need permanent energy. This article discusses optimization of energy consumption for lifting an autonomous underwater vehicle in seafloor mineral mining by means of using gas after chemical reactions, including detonation of explosives.

Kislyakov V. E., Katyshev P. V., Shkaruba N. A., Elizariev V. S., Bashkatova Y. R. autonomous underwater vehicles for mineral mining on continental shelf. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2021;(3-1):318—329. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2021_31_0_318.

Kislyakov V. E., Dr. Sci. (Eng.), professor of the Department “Open pit mining”, vkislyakov@sfu-kras.ru;
Katyshev P. V., Cand. Sci. (Eng.), associate professor of the Department “Open pit mining”, BestPavel1989@mail.ru;
Shkaruba N. A., postgraduate student of the Department “Open pit mining”. nshkaruba@ sfu-kras.ru;
Elizariev V. S., student of the Department “Open pit mining”. vladimir16elizarev@mail.ru;
Bashkatova Y. R., postgraduate student of the Department “Open pit mining”. bashkatova. yana@yandex.ru;
Siberian Federal University, Institute of Mining, Geology and Geotechnology, Krasnoyarsk, Russia.

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