Kiel Working Papers, Kiel Institute for World Economics
No 1688:
Metalliferous Sediments in the Atlantis II Deep – Assessing the Geological and Economic Resource Potential and Legal Constraints
Christine Bertram, Anna Krätschell, Killian O'Brien, Warner Brückmann, Alexander Proelss and Katrin Rehdanz
Abstract: To date, mineral resources are only mined on land but
projected increases in demand have brought the exploration and exploitation
of marine mineral resources back into focus. The Atlantis II Deep, located
in the central Red Sea between Saudi Arabia and Sudan, is one of the
largest marine sulfide deposits known, with high concentrations of metals
such as zinc, copper, silver and gold. However, little is known about the
economic potential of marine minerals as well as the legal constraints. Our
geological assessment shows that the deep is similar in grades and scale to
large land-based deposits. Its economic potential is far from negligible.
The present value of possible gross revenues ranges from 3.11 to 8.21
billion US-$, depending on the minerals considered. From a legal
perspective, a general duty to cooperate in the exploration and
exploitation of non-living resources located in disputed maritime areas is
identified in both customary international law and in the UNCLOS. It is
submitted that a joint development agreement is one means of ensuring
compliance with this duty in general and in the case of the Atlantis II
Deep in particular
Keywords: Atlantis II Deep, deep-sea mining, joint development scheme, metalliferous sediments, resource potential, Saudi-Sudanese Red Sea Commission; (follow links to similar papers)
JEL-Codes: Q30,; Q34,; Q38; (follow links to similar papers)
30 pages, March 2011
Before downloading any of the electronic versions below
you should read our statement on
copyright.
Download GhostScript
for viewing Postscript files and the
Acrobat Reader for viewing and printing pdf files.
Downloadable files:
KWP%201688.pdf 
Download Statistics
Report other problems with accessing this service to Sune Karlsson ()
or Helena Lundin ().
Programing by
Design Joakim Ekebom
