METHOD OF UNDERWATER MINING OF MINERAL DEPOSITS AND PLANT FOR ITS EMBODIMENT Russian patent published in 1997 - IPC

FIELD: underwater mineral mining on bottom of seas and oceans. SUBSTANCE: method includes loading rocks together with sea water into closed volume, mixing the rocks with sea water, separation of mineral and sedimentary rock, unloading sedimentary rock from the closed volume, unloading minerals into transportation facilities for subsequent lifting to the surface. Closed volume is filled with ferromagnetic fluid based on sea water and stable to dilution and sedimentation. Ferromagnetic fluid is magnetized to saturation with simultaneous preservation of state of aggregation. Rocks are mixed with the fluid; separation and unloading the minerals and sedimentation rocks are carried out by application to the mixture of an external magnetic field. Upon completion of unloading the minerals, the remaining solid sedimentation rocks are unloaded with the help of gravity force. Stabilized ferrophase included in the fluid is separated in the course of unloading from minerals. The plant carries on its load-bearing frame the following components: device for withdrawal of rocks with closed volume, mixing device, devices for cleaning the minerals and transportation of minerals and sedimentation rocks which are provided propulsive devices and pipelines devices for separation of minerals from sedimentation rocks, and unloading. Closed volume is formed by common body for all devices and filled with magnetized to saturation of ferromagnetic fluid based on sea water. Introduced into the plant are unit for formation of control actions on fluid of closed volume, devices for collection of stabilized ferrophase from unloaded rocks and device for loading the fluid to closed volume. EFFECT: higher efficiency. 24 cl, 11 dwg, 1 tbl