Articles

Clarion-Clipperton Zone

Introduction

The Clarion-Clipperton Zone (or CCZ) is a geological submarine fracture zone located in North of the Pacific Ocean between Mexico and Hawaii. The zone stretches around 4500 miles, and has an area of approximately 1,700,000 square miles, which is just under half the size of the land area of the United States.

Polymetallic Nodules

Polymetallic nodules are scattered across the CCZ at depths of around 4500m. Nodules are spheroidal, around 5-15cm in diameter, and contain high concentrations of nickel, copper, and cobalt.

License Holders

The International Seabed Authority (ISA) has issued a number of licenses to polymetallic nodule contractors for exploration:

Penrhyn Basin

CCZ Logistics

Nodule composition in the CCZ versus Cook Islands

Deep Sea Mining in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone

Biodiversity in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone

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Written by Phillip Gales

Phillip Gales is a serial entrepreneur who has built tech companies in various heavy industries including Oil & Gas, Construction, Real Estate and Supply Chain Logistics. Originally from the UK, he now lives in Toronto, Canada, with his wife and young family.

Phillip holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, and an MEng in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cambridge, specialising in Machine Intelligence.

Articles

Clarion-Clipperton Zone

Introduction

Polymetallic Nodules