Resources from the Seafloor Chapter 14.4 Resources from the Seafloor

Energy Resources The ocean floor has many mineral and organic resources but getting them is technologically challenging and expensive. Oil and natural gas are the main energy products being gathered from the ocean floor.

Oil and Natural Gas The main source of deposits of oil and natural gas is from remain of microscopic organisms. The percentage of world oil produced from the ocean has increased by 30% since the 1930s. The main spots to gather this resource is the Persian Gulf, in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of southern California, in the North Sea, and in the East Indies. One main concern is oil spills caused by accidental leaks during drilling.

Gas Hydrates Gas hydrates are chemicals made of water and natural gas. Most oceanic gas hydrates are made when bacteria break down organic matter trapped in ocean floor sediments. As this happens methane is trapped in water molecules in ocean sediment. One problem with using gas hydrates as a source of energy is that they break down at surface temperatures and pressure.

Sand and Gravel Sand and gravel are used for landfill, to fill in beaches, and to make concrete. There are diamonds that are recovered from gravels off the coast of South Africa and Australia. Platinum and gold have been found through out the world in ocean sand and gravel.

Manganese Nodules These are hard lumps of manganese and other metals. They are on the deep-ocean floor. They have not really been mined because it is difficult to establish mining rights and there are environmental concerns about disturbing large portions of the ocean floor.

Evaporative Salts When seawater evaporates the salt concentration increases until the salts no longer remain dissolved. These salt deposits can be harvested – one is halite, table salt.