The deep seafloor in Papua New
Guinea's proposed Exclusive Economic
Zone appears to be a gold-rich
province in the same sense as the
territory above sea level. Two
significant sites with polymetallic
massive sulphide deposits forming
today are known on neovolcanic ridges
in the Manus Basin. Their high
precious metal contents have led to
renewed interest in the issue of
exploiting seafloor mineral deposits.
The prospects of finding other,
possibly larger deposits in the
region appear substantial. This paper
reviews current data on seafloor
deposits in Papua New Guinea (PNG)
and raises some issues relating to
future commercial exploration and
mining of the sea floor. One of the
known PNG deposits could become a
prime candidate for the trials needed
to develop technology, establish
costs, and minimise environmental
impact.