Riches lie deep! Secrets from the sub-seafloor
We are gathering vital information about the valuable resources that are hidden deep beneath the ocean.
Having voyaged to Brothers Volcano, the most hydrothermally active and mineral-rich volcano known in the Kermadec Arc, our experts are drilling down into the seafloor to learn more about the ore deposits in and around the volcano.
When the hot fluids that percolate through the volcanic rock are vented onto the seafloor, deposits of precious metals and minerals form. They’re a treasure trove of materials like copper and zinc that are essential for modern technologies, infrastructure, and industries.
Scientists know the ore deposits at Brothers Volcano have a lot to tell us about the formation and location of critical resources in our region and across the globe. That’s important information that will help shape our future exploration efforts, ultimately unlocking significant potential for economic growth and future technological advancement.
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Previous research at Brothers Volcano
Brothers volcano is the best-studied submarine arc volcano in the world. It hosts a complex magmatic-hydrothermal system associated with active seafloor mineralisation.
In 2018, an Integrated Ocean Drilling Programme (IODP) saw scientists drill five holes into the volcano to better understand its hydrothermal system. This yielded unprecedented insights into the inner workings of this system and the formation of its ore deposits. However, casing had to be used to stop the tops of the holes from collapsing, meaning that samples could not be recovered from the uppermost parts of the seafloor.
Right now, our team is sending a drill rig down onto the seafloor in the hopes of recovering samples from the upper 100 m of the volcanic crust. That’s where it is believed that most of the metals (copper, zinc, and gold) can be found.
By studying the processes that create these valuable deposits, scientists can support the development of more effective strategies for locating and extracting resources from similar environments across the globe.
A research crew is back at Brothers volcano in May to conduct a high-resolution seismic survey of the area to learn about the geological characteristics of this dynamic undersea system.
The data collected will provide researchers with valuable new information about composition and mineralisation processes of ore deposits in the area, crucial in understanding the potential for resource extraction.
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Our team
GNS scientist Shane Rooyakkers and technician Neville Palmer are contributing their expertise to the voyage. They join a team from the University of Bremen(external link), Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology(external link), and the University Erlangen-Nuremberg.(external link) This collaborative global team brings together the best of international scientific knowledge to tackle a close-to-home, but broadly relevant, research opportunity.
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The RV Sonne
The team is on board the RV Sonne, a high-tech vessel equipped to cover a wide spectrum of ocean research. The vessel recently returned from a joint operation between GNS, NIWA,(external link) GEOMAR(external link) and Kiel University(external link) to survey, map, and sample two different areas off the Wairarapa and Canterbury coasts. These areas had previously experienced huge landslides, and the research sought to better understand the hazard and risk potential of large underwater canyons.
Main image: MeBo 200 deployment. Credit: Niklas Mönnich