Substantiation of hoist bin design and mechanisms for preproduction model of offshore mining facility

The article reviews the promising solid mineral reserves buried at the bottom of the World Ocean and analyzes the basic concepts of mining facilities including a hoisting system composed of a hoist rope, loading gripper and a hoist bin. The main issues of design and performance of bins meant for mineral gathering in deep-sea mining are highlighted. Particular attention is paid to design features of such bin, specifically to its implementation by the criterion of hydrodynamic resistance. The mode of operation of the bin within a mining facility is described, and the methods of minimization of the hydrodynamic resistance during the bin hoist and the loading gripper descent are proposed. The diagram of dependency of different bin shapes on its hoisting velocity is plotted; it shows that the most efficient in terms of minimization of the hydrodynamic resistance are the bins with holes, with their sizes and density to be determined during the further design study. The key member of a hoisting unit in deep-sea mining is a hoist rope: its load-carrying ability must ensure the preset lifting capacity and increase it in multiples of the required factor of safety. The required factor of safety can be preset either on the basis of static conditions only, or can include dynamic characteristics. The calculation of the latter in the conditions of the water environment is of interest at this time. Two variants of calculating the load-carrying capacity of the hoist ropes are described, which show that inclusion of the dynamic load in the calculation essentially decreases the required factor of safety. This can enable manufacture of the hoist ropes of Kevlar and aramid, which meet the preset parameters of a hoisting facility, and ensure commercial viability of deep-sea mining. The presented diagrams of dependency of the maximal and tension strengths of the hoist ropes on the hoisting velocity of bins of different shapes display the groundlessly increased factor of safety of the ropes when the factor of safety is rated from a statistical design. The comparative values of the required tension strength are presented for the same type of a rope from the static and dynamic designs, with the substantiation of the lower factor of safety in case of inclusion of the dynamic loads. 

Yungmeister D. A., Efimov F. A., Korolev R. I. Substantiation of hoist bin design and mechanisms for preproduction model of offshore mining facility. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2026;(4):105-119. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2026_4_0_105.

The study was carried out under contract with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, FSRW-2023-0002 Basic Interdisciplinary Research of the Subsoil and Integrated Development of Georesources. 

D.A. Yungmeister¹, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Professor, Professor, e-mail: iungmeister@yandex.ru,
F.A. Efimov¹, Graduate Student, e-mail: fyodorefimov99@mail.ru,
R.I. Korolev, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Chief Specialist, Saint-Petersburg branch of ProTech Engineering LLC,  Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 
¹ Empress Catherine II Saint-Petersburg Mining University, Saint-Petersburg, 199106, Russia.

F.A. Efimov, e-mail: fyodorefimov99@mail.ru.

1. Leng D., Shao S., Xie Y., Wang Н., Liu G. A brief review of recent progress on deep sea mining vehicle. Ocean Engineering. 2021, vol. 228, article 108565. DOI: 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2020.108565.

2. Bolshunov A. V., Vasiliev N. I., Timofeev I. P., Ignatiev S. A., Vasiliev D. A., Leichenkov G. L. Possible technological solution for sampling bottom sediments of the subglacial Lake Vostok: relevance and formulation of research objectives. Journal of Mining Institute. 2021, vol. 252(6), pp. 779—787. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.31897/PMI.2021.6.1.

3. Pashkevich M. A., Alekseenko A. V., Nureyev R. R. Environmental damage from storage of sulfide ore tailings. Journal of Mining Institute. 2023, vol. 260, pp. 155—167. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.31897/PMI.2023.32.

4. Baturin G. N. Distribution of elements in ferromanganese nodules in seas and lakes. Lithology and Mineral Resources. 2019, vol. 54, pp. 362—373. DOI: 10.1134/s002449021905002x.

5. Litvinenko V. S., Petrov E. I., Vasilevskaya D. V., Yakovenko A. V., Naumov I. A., Ratnikov M. A. The role of the state in the management of international organizations by responses. Journal of Mining Institute. 2023, vol. 259, pp. 95—111. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.31897/PMI.2022.100.

6. Fritz B., Heidak P., Vasters J., Kuhn T., Franken G., Schmidt M. Life cycle impact on climate change caused by metal production from deep sea manganese nodules versus land-based deposits. Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 2023, vol. 193. DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.106976.

7. Sharma R., Smith S. Deep-sea mining and the environment: an introduction. Ekologicheskie problemy glubokovodnoy dobychi poleznykh iskopaemykh: vozdeystvie, posledstviya i perspektivy politiki [Environmental issues of deep-Sea mining: impacts, consequences and policy perspectives], Springer International Publishing, 2019, pp. 3—22. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-12696-41.

8. Vilmis A. L., Buyanov M. I., Kalinin I. S., Tivonenko V. A. Solid minerals of the World Ocean floor —potential objects for the development of geotechnological methods. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2021, no. 3-1, pp. 147—154. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2021_31_0_147.

9. Jiang X.-D., Gong J.-L., Ren J.-B., Zhang J., Chou Y.-M. An interdependent relationship between microbial ecosystems and ferromanganese nodules from the Western Pacific Ocean. Sedimentary Geology. 2020, vol. 398, article 105588. DOI.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2019.105588.

10. Sasano M., Inaba S., Okamoto A. Development of a regional underwater positioning and communication system for control of multiple autonomous underwater vehicles. Proceedings of the IEEE/OES Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV). 2016, vol. 6, pp. 431—434. DOI: 10.1109/AUV.2016.7778708.

11. Nikolaichuk L., Sinkov L., Malisheva A. Analysis of the problems and development prospects of the oil refining industry of Russia. Journal of Business and Retail Management Research. 2017, vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 177—183. DOI: 10.24052/jbrmr/v11is04/aotpadpotorior.

12. Maki T., Matsuda T., Sakamaki T., Ura T., Kojima J. Navigation method for underwater vehicles based on mutual acoustical positioning with a single seafloor station. IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering. 2013, vol. 38, pp. 167—177. DOI: 10.1109/JOE.2012.2210799.

13. Wang S., Yang X., Li L., Sun P., Yang L., Li F. Shear behaviour of a rock bridge sandwiched between incipient joints under the influence of hydraulic pressures. International Journal of Mining Science and Technology. 2023, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 233—242. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmst.2022.10.007.

14. Mbani B., Greinert J. Analysis-ready optical underwater images of manganese-nodule covered seafloor of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. Scientific Data. 2023, vol. 10, article 316. DOI: 10.1038/ s41597-023-02245-5.

15. Matos A., Cruz N. Coordinated operation of autonomous underwater and surface vehicles. Proceedings of MTS/IEEE OCEANS-2007. 2007, pp. 1—6. DOI: 10.1109/OCEANS.2007.4449362.

16. Yungmeister D. A., Korolev R. I., Borodkin E. O. Substantiation of the design of technical means for extracting deep-sea minerals. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2020, no. S5, pp. 3—13. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236-1493-2020-1-5-3-13.

17. Yungmeyster D. A., Shpenst V. A., Grigorchuk A. V., Isaev A. I., Smolenskiy M. P. Patent RU 2788227. 17.01.2023.  [In Russ].

18. Toro N., Robles P., Jeldres R. I. Seabed mineral resources, an alternative for the future of renewable energy. A critical review. Ore Geology Reviews. 2020, vol. 126, article 103699. DOI: 10.1016/j. oregeorev.2020.103699.

19. Marrón M., García J. C., Sotelo M. A., Cabello M., Pizarro D., Huerta F., Cerro J. Comparing a kalman filter and a particle filter in a multiple objects tracking application. 2007 IEEE International Symposium on Intelligent Signal Processing (WISP'2007). 2007, pp. 1—6. DOI: 10.1109/WISP.2007.4447520.

20. Zhukovskiy Y., Koshenkova A., Vorobeva V., Rasputin D., Pozdnyakov R. Assessment of the impact of technological development and scenario forecasting of the sustainable development of the fuel and energy complex. Energies. 2023, vol. 16, no. 7, article 3185. DOI: 10.3390/en16073185.

21. Fedorova E. R., Pupysheva E. A., and Morgunov V. V. Determination of precipitation parameters during thickening and washing of red sludge. Tsvetnye Metally.  2023, no. 4, pp. 77—85. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.17580/tsm.2023.04.10.

22. Khamidov O. U., Shibanov D. A. Regulated maintenance and repair of quarry excavators considering real-world conditions and operating modes. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2025, no. 12-3, pp. 152—167. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236149320251230152.

23. Maksarov V. V., Minin А. O., Zakharova V. P. Ensuring surface quality in almn alloy items during high-frequency wave impact boring. Tsvetnye Metally. 2023, no. 4, pp. 90—95. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.17580/tsm.2023.04.12.

24. Niner H. J., Ardron J. A., Escobar E. G., Gianni M., Jaeckel A., Jones D. O. B., Levin L. A., Smith C. R., Thiele T., Turner P. J., Watling L., Gjerde K. M. Deep-sea mining with no net loss of biodiversity-an impossible aim. Frontiers in Marine Science. 2018, vol. 5, pp. 1—12. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2018.00053.

25. Yungmeyster D. A., Efimov F. A., Zhukov I. A., Belyaev A. V. Patent RU 2814109. 22.02.2024. [In Russ].

26. Vaganay J., Leonard J., Curcio J., Willcox S. Experimental validation of the moving long base line navigation concept. 2004 IEEE/OES Autonomous Underwater Vehicles. 2004, no. 4, pp. 1—7. DOI: 10.1109/AUV.2004.1431194.

27. Serzhan S. L., Malevanny D. V., Fedorov E. V., Dadayan L. M. Prospects for the use of a capsule mining complex in the conditions of extraction of offshore ferromanganese nodules in the Russian Federation. Mining Equipment and Electromechanics. 2022, no. 4(162), pp. 3—11. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.26730/1816-4528-2022-4-3-11. EDN IIWRRI.

28. Kashirskii A. S., Rakhutin M.G., Kirichenko Yu. V., Kuzin E. A, Ivashchenko G. S. Justification of cassette-type sweeper parameters for ferro-manganese nodule mining. Russian Mining Industry Journal. 2020, no. 1, pp. 155—159. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.30686/1609-9192-2020-1-155-159.

29. Serzhan S. L., Malevanny D. V., Skrebnev V. I. Investigation of the effect of the roughness of steel and polymer pipes on losses in tailings pulp hydrotransportation. Obogashchenie Rud. 2023, no. 4, pp. 41—49. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.17580/or.2023.04.08 5/9.

30. Serzhan S. L., Malevannyj D. V. Lifting technologies for deep-sea solid mineral extraction facilities: Current situation and prospects. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2024, no. 12-1, pp. 107—128. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2024_121_0_107.

31. García-Valdovinos L., Salgado T., Bandala-Sánchez M., Nava-Balanzar L. Modelling, design and robust control of a remotely operated underwater vehicle. International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems. 2014. DOI: 10.5772/56810.

32. Rozman B. Ya., Elkin A. V. Implementation of the system of subordinate organization of managerial personnel. International Journal of Applied Sciences. Mathematical analysis. 2022, no. 11, pp. 77—82. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.17513/mjpfi.13471.

33. Mukhopadhyay R., Naik S., Souza S. D., Dias O., Iyer S. D., Ghosh A. K. The economics of mining seabed manganese nodules: A case study of the Indian Ocean nodule field. Marine Georesources & Geotechnology. 2019, vol. 37, no. 7, pp. 1—7. DOI: 10.1080/1064119X.2018.1504149.

34. Yang J., Liu L., Lyu H., Lin Zh. Deep-sea mining equipment in China: current status and prospect. Strategic Study of Chinese Academy of Engineering. 2020, vol. 22, no. 6, pp. 1—9. DOI: 10.15302/J-SSCAE-2020.06.001.

35. Volkmann S. E., Lehnen F. Production key figures for planning the mining of manganese nodules. Marine Georesources & Geotechnology. 2018, vol. 36, no. 3, pp. 360—375, DOI: 10.1080/1064119X.2017.1319448.