JOGMECCRFC120017 Env Template 2017 abundance
Sampling data captured in Oceanic Exploration Research JOGMEC has implemented the following works as the crusts exploration activities during the year 2017: (1) Exploration work During the year 2017, two survey cruises were conducted on the R/V Hakurei in the exploration area. MBES acoustic survey, BMS drilling, ROV rock sampling and observation were carried out for resource evaluation. The 1st cruise targeted the JA03 Seamount (a.k.a. the Arnold Guyot), the JA04 Seamount, and JA06 Seamount (a.k.a. the Xufu Guyot), and the cruise period was from 10 April to 8 May (29 days). The 2nd cruise targeted the JA02 Seamount (a.k.a. the Lamont Guyot) and JA17 Seamount (a.k.a. the Scripps Guyot), and the cruise period was from 12 May to 5 June (26 days). High resolution bathymetry data of the JA03 and JA17 Seamounts, 54 drilling cores in 18 mining blocks, 376 kg of rock samples, and marine sediment samples at 1 site were acquired as achievement of exploration survey in 2017. Chemical analysis for resource evaluation and similarity analysis of lithofacies to compare characteristics of crust ores on seamounts were carried out on drilling core samples. Moreover, statistical analysis between acoustic backscattering strength and seafloor observation was carried out to evaluate distribution of crust ores on seamounts.