The Boards of the Histechnica Association and of the KIVI SectionHistoryof Engineering are pleased to invite you to attend a lecture to be given by Mr M. Fluks and Mr E. Heerema on the subject:

"Manganese nodule extraction in the deep sea"

on Saturday 25 November 2023, starting at 11.00 a.m

Location: Science Centre, Bouwcampus 26, entrance 'C', Van der Burghweg 1, 2628 CS Delft

Entrance 'C' of the Science

PLEASE NOTE: Location has changed! Entrance is from car park behind high-rise building.

Access to car park is by driving licence.

Programme

10.30:00: Walk-in with coffee and tea

11:00: Welcome and introduction

11.05:00: Lecture by Marten Fluks and Edward Heerema

11:50 a.m.: Break

12:15: Continuation of lecture and closing discussion

12:45: End of meeting.

Summary of the lecture

The lecture is delivered by two people.

Marten Fluks explains that manganese nodules have already been discovered and mapped in the late 19th century. They are mostly found at great depths on ocean floors and contain valuable metals such as manganese, cobalt, nickel and copper. Extraction of these nodules could therefore be interesting. In the 1960s and 1970s, several international companies became active with developments in this field.

The subject was also taken up at a Dutch company in the early 1970s. As a key component, a tool had to be conceived to dig up tubers and transport them to the sea surface. The then concept idea (implement with underwater digging wheel) is explained in the talk. This development was not continued afterwards, partly due to declining future prospects.

Edward Heerema explains that Allseas has developed and built a technical system for collecting manganese nodules from the seabed with minimal impact. The system includes a collection vehicle that drives over the seabed and picks up the manganese nodules like a hoover. Inside the vehicle, they are separated from sediment and then pumped through a riser tube to the collection vessel Hidden Gem.

Collector ship Hidden Gem

In November 2022, the full system was tested at Clarion Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean. At the same time as these collection tests, independent marine experts and scientists carried out extensive environmental impact studies. Allseas, together with strategic partner The Metals Company, expects to start commercial manganese nodule mining by the end of 2025.

Information about the speaker

Marten Fluks completed his Mechanical Engineering studies at TU (then TH) Eindhoven in 1968. During his nearly 40-year career with several internationally operating companies, he has worked in the fields of engineering, technical development and its management. Several of his publications have appeared, furthermore, his ideas have resulted in patent applications. In his first job as a young development engineer, he worked on concepts for a tool for manganese tuber extraction. His insights, knowledge and experience became available after retirement and under the name Conseon.

Edward Heerema ((1947) received his degree in Civil Engineering from Delft University of Technology in 1974. In the R&D department of his father's company Heerema Engineering Service, he was involved in the development of new platform installation equipment.

After his father's death in 1981, he became President of Heerema Holding Company, which position he held until his departure in December 1984. Edward founded Allseas in 1985 and was President until he stepped aside in August September 2022 and was succeeded by his eldest son Pieter. Edward remains President and concentrates on general policy and developing and integrating new technological developments.

Allseas is a leading contractor in the offshore energy market and an expert in the design and execution of large and complex offshore projects. Allseas operates or four areas: pipeline installation, heavy lifting, deep sea mining and river waste collection.

To attend this talk, please register:

  • KIVI members should register via the KIVI website
  • Members of Histechnica should register through the secretary hotzeboonstra@gmail.com
  • Interested parties who are not members can also register through the above channels. There will then be a charge of ā‚¬5.00.

The lecture will be broadcast live; you should also register for this through the above channels. There is no charge for this.

Upcoming activities in Science Center Delft

  • Saturday 16 December 2023 at 11:00 lecture by Dr Abel Streefland: "University press in Delft"

On Saturday 20 April 2024, Histechnica will celebrate its 10th anniversary at Gebouw X, Mekelweg 8, 2628 CD Delft. It will be a day-filling programme with the theme: "Getting progress out of failure".

Study Trip Basque Country 2024: It will be a seven-day trip, therefore 6 nights within the programme and excluding the round trip. Start around the end of May.

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