Seabed, the new field of mining exploration
Santo Domingo. El Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC) and the National Maritime Affairs Authority (ANAMAR), together with the General Directorate of Mining and the National Geological Service presented last Wednesday, February 13 the conference “Mineral Resources in the Seabed”, by the engineer Eusebio Lopera, from the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain (IGME).
The activity had among its main objectives to guide those present on the potential benefits of exploring mineral resources on the seabed, an activity with repercussions in areas such as environment, law and economics, as it involves a series of geophysical studies, geological analysis of drilling and production and advanced technologies for them.
During the conference it was reported that this type of actions could generate important investments for the Dominican Republic.
Eusebio Lopera explained that although knowledge of mineral resources in the seas is known from ancient times, it is in the last decades that it has undergone a spectacular increase linked to new geological theories and advances in research techniques.
“The United Nations, aware of the future development of these resources, regulates these activities since 1994 through the International Seabed Authority. Currently, there are three Resources on which there is regulation for Prospecting and Exploration; Polymetallic nodules (2000), Polymetallic massive sulphides (2010) and Cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts (2012) ”emphasized Lobera, who also clarified that by 2016 it is expected to have the first Exploitation regulations corresponding to polymetallic nodules.
The conference took place in the Osvaldo García de la Concha Auditorium, INTEC campus, and was chaired by Rolando Guzmán, Rector of the university; Carlos Cordero, Dean of the Engineering Area; Pascual Prota, President of ANAMAR; Alexander Medina, Director of Mining; Santiago Muñoz, Director of the Geological Survey; and Pelegrín Castillo, President of the Commission of Marine Affairs of the Chamber of Deputies.
In the same way, institutional authorities, representatives of the organizing entities, members of the press and interested persons in general gathered.
About the exhibitor
Eusebio Lopera Caballero is originally from Córdoba, Spain. He studied Geological Sciences at the Complutense University of Madrid and did doctoral studies at the University of Salamanca, complementing his training with various postgraduate courses in subjects related to mining, environmental and economic research.
His professional career began in the company of Azufre y Cobre de Tharsis (Iberian Pyrite Belt) where he directed the Research Department, in charge of the exploitation of two masses of massive polymetallic sulphides, one in the open (Tharsis) and another inland ( La Zarza), with a joint production of 1.5 million tons per year.
Later, it moves on to Exxon Minera Española, a subsidiary of the multinational Exxon Minerals, in charge of the research of VMS and epithermal deposits in the Southwest of Spain and, later on, throughout Europe.
In 1987 he enters the General State Administration, attached to the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain, where he develops his activity in projects of geological infrastructure, economic geology and geological risks.
In the Dominican Republic, he has excelled in the direction of projects carried out within the Sysmin I and II Program, financed by the European Union, during 1997 and 2011. At the same time, it participates as representative of Spain in the periodic meetings of the International Seabed Authority, a United Nations organization based in Kingston (Jamaica), responsible for the management of mining resources in the Area.