Should Manganese Nodules be Exploited as a Source of Metal? Should we continue exploiting manganese nodules as a source of metal, taking into consideration all the moral aspects.

Manganese nodules are small, dark, potato-shaped mixtures of different minerals, containing sources of useful metals such as manganese, iron, copper, nickel, lead, zinc and cobalt. The nodules are formed by about 24% of manganese, 15% iron, 1.5% of nickel and smaller abundances of the other elements. Manganese nodules are found in large quantities in the sea-beds of oceans proximate to the regions of Russia, Brazil, Australia, Cook Islands, South Africa, Gabon, India and the Solomon Islands. It is generally found under depths of 2,750 to 4,500 meter of water, very often near tectonic plate…