EQUIPMENT AND METHOD FOR COLLECTING MANGANESE NODULE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide equipment and a method for economically collecting a manganese nodule. SOLUTION: In this collecting equipment for use, a jet orifice for forming a waterjet flow directed backward is opened inside a caisson; a slit 16 is opened in a direction crossing the direction of the movement of the caisson; and a scraping blade 17 is provided in a downward protruding manner right behind the slit 16. A front tow rope of the collecting equipment is towed by a placer dredger B; sediment and the manganese nodule on the surface of the sea bottom, which are scraped up by means of the scraping blade, are introduced into the caisson from the slit; and the manganese nodule is extracted while mud and the like are separated by a waterjet. The collecting equipment after the collection of the manganese nodule is recovered by being pulled up by a mother ship C separate from the placer dredger B. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT