Ocean Floor Resources

So far, much of what we have learned about the ocean floor has focused on sediments. You may be surprised that corporations spend money to bring clay and ooze to the surface. There are sediments on the ocean floor, however, that almost everyone uses and that are worth enough for companies to spend the money required to collect them. Some of these resources include sand and gravel, mineral nodules, as well as oil and natural gas. As new technologies are developed to exploit these resources more efficiently, they will most likely play a larger role in the future.

Essential Questions

• What resources are removed from the ocean floor?
• What is the importance of sand and gravel?
• What is the importance of mineral nodules?
• What is the importance of extracting oil and natural gas deposits from the ocean floor?