Lectures

Growing demand for mineral raw materials, coupled with the increasing challenges of land-based mining and geopolitics will motivate the search for alternative sources of mineral supply, pushing resource development into frontier environments. A resource frontier currently attracting significant attention is the ocean floor, which covers more than two-thirds of the planet's surface and hosts a diverse spectrum of geological environments, geomorphological features and ecosystems. Metal resources on the seafloor have been known for more than a century and it is speculated that the seafloor may contain a metal endowment proportionate to its area. Extensive areas of ocean floor are now licensed for exploration and some deep-ocean mining projects are scheduled to commence operation in the next few years. As a consequence deep-ocean mining has moved from a distant possibility to a reality that could make an important contribution to metal supply and economic growth. Despite this optimism, there is a requirement for enhanced mineral exploration models, improved resource assessment, more robust economic evaluation, and the development of cost-effective exploration strategies and techniques. This presentation will explore these issues in the context of two case studies. The first considers the Trans-Atlantic Geotraverse hydrothermal field, located at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which is known for its seafloor massive sulfide deposits. The second case study examines the mineral resource potential of ferromanganese crusts, which develop on seamounts in the deep-ocean. These deposits can be highly enriched in ‘critical’ metals required for high-technology and green energy applications.

The mineral wealth of the English Midlands has been exploited for centuries – lead, copper, zinc, and to a lesser extent silver, have all been worked. Deposits of coal, iron ore and limestone powered the Industrial Revolution, providing raw materials for such visionaries as Sir Richard Arkwright, Matthew Boulton, James Watt, William Murdoch and Josiah Wedgwood.

The area has produced a wide range of interesting mineral specimens. Examples of these are to be found in local and regional museum collections, and especially at the Natural History Museum in London. However, such was the importance of Britain in the development of mineralogy as a science that specimens from the English Midlands are to be seen in collections all over the world.

Minerals such as phosgenite, matlockite and mottranite are recognised as having been first described from the English Midlands. Although the glory days of mining are long gone, quarrying operations, especially in Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Leicestershire and Shropshire mean that fresh exposures are constantly being created, and new mineralogical discoveries continue to be made today.

Thanks to the efforts of miners, mineral dealers and collectors over the past few hundred years, interesting and beautiful specimens have been preserved for us to enjoy today. This talk will provide an overview of the fascinating stories associated with the mines, quarries and minerals, illustrated by images taken especially for a recently published book Minerals of the English Midlands.