UNIVERSITY OF MADRAS
B.Sc. DEGREE COURSE IN MARINE SCIENCE
SEMESTER SYSTEM WITH CREDITS
(Effective from the Academic Year 2003-2004)

SYLLABUS

Semester VI - Paper XI - Marine Mineral Resources

Duration of Examination: 3 hrs
Maximum Marks: 100
Credits: 4

Unit I

Introduction to marine mineral resources - Marginal marine deposits - Evaporites and placer deposits - Surface deposits in continental shelf - Subsurface deposits in continental shelf- Dee sea deposits.

Unit II

Beach placer deposits - Heavy mineral sands in beach dunes - rutile - ilmenite - zircon and monazite - Source of the heavy minerals - Offshore placers - Origin and economic value of Manganese and phosphate nodules - various methods of dredging of marine surface mineral.

Unit III

Evaporite deposits from oceanic waters - Natural salt pans - Calcium sulphate deposits.- Common salt deposits - Potash deposits - Borate and bromine deposits

Unit IV

Deep sea deposits - Sediment hosted Lead - Zinc deposits (stratiform ore deposits) - Marine Volcanic associated ore deposits - Mineral deposits in the principal plate tectonic regimes of the oceans

Unit V

Ocean boundaries and Petroleum resources - Petroleum prospects beneath oceans - Relation of boundary to petroleum - Contribution of sea for worlds petroleum production - Future prospects of petroleum resources of sea - Contribution of marine petroleum resources in Indian petroleum production.

Books Recommended

Oceanography, Contemporary readings in Ocean Sciences by Gorden Pirie,

Introduction to Oceanography by Weighpt

Marine Geology by Kennet, J.P., Prentice Hall.

The Sea floor by Seibold, E. and Berger, W.H., Springer-Verlag.