Silverhorn Mining Company Release Report on Rare Earth Metals

Silverhorn Mining Company have released a report highlighting the ever-increasing demand for
rare earth metals, especially in the technology industry.

Melbourne, Australia, March 28, 2017 --(PR.com)-- The emergence of innovative technologies has
enabled mining operators to explore new limits in search of rare metals and minerals.

Deep below the Earth's surface (and below the ocean's floor) lie vast reserves of gold, diamonds, copper,
nickel, and other precious metals that could be mined and refined for commercial use. Now, these
operators have a way of reaching them.

Even outer space presents an opportunity to capture those highly sought-after elements. In the
not-so-distant future, mining operations will no longer be confined to Planet Earth — that is, if the
innovative techniques currently pioneered by cutting-edge companies prove successful.

Treasure Troves in the Deep Blue Sea

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that the ocean's floor harbors enough
gold ore to supply each of this planet's seven billion residents with nine pounds of the material.
Considering that the price of gold currently hovers around $1,200 per ounce, you can do the math and
figure out that the dollar value of that reserve is immense. Other valuable metals can be found along the
ocean's floor as well, including cobalt, which is instrumental in the manufacturing of computers and
mobile telephones.

Accessing those rare metals and minerals is no easy task, however. Undersea mining operators face
extreme ocean temperatures and a highly pressurized environment. Nonetheless, innovative deep-sea
mining techniques that rely on heavy machinery are already making waves.

First, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) scour the seafloor and grab samples for testing. Once a
mineral-rich site is identified, mining operators use a continuous bucket line system (CLB) to lift the sea
sediment up to the ocean's surface via a conveyor belt. Another technique, known as hydraulic suction,
draws mineral-laden mud up from the ocean's floor through a pipe. A second pipe then pumps the dirt or
tailings back into the sea once the valuable ore has been extracted.

The Australian company has built three 220-to-340-ton machines that harvest metals from the ocean's
floor. Two cutting machines grind the surface sediment to a fine texture before a suctioning device
funnels the particles to a ship where the water is drained from the rock. Finally, minerals are extracted
from the rocks at a concentrator facility.

Digging Deep for Diamonds and Gold

Not only can rare minerals be found beneath the ocean's surface; scientists now believe that the purest,
largest diamonds can be found deep below the Earth's crust. Last year, a report published in Science
Magazine concluded that diamonds larger in size and of distinct purity most likely originally came from

Page 1/3
PR.com Press Release Distribution Terms of Use
deep below the Earth's surface — between 224 and 466 miles underground, versus the 124-mile
depth at which the majority of diamonds originated.

When diamonds form at those extreme depths, they coalesce from pure carbon into a molten mixture of
metallic liquid made of iron and nickel, among other elements. The challenge for diamond miners is to
find the deeply buried geological hotspots where those rare gems sprout up.

Mining operators have already begun to dig deeper for gold. Mponeng, a gold mine in South Africa,
stretches 2.5 miles underground to reach ore contained in the Witwatersrand Gold Belt, said to be the
world's largest and richest gold reserve. Some 4,000 miners descend the world's tallest elevator to chisel
away at the mine's walls, bringing forth 6,400 metric tons of rock daily. Operations at the mine are on
target to continue until 2040.

Galactic Gold Mining

Mining needn't be confined to Earth, however outer space offers a fertile and untapped field of precious
metals and minerals. "If you haul an asteroid the size of a house to Earth, it could have more platinum on
it than has ever been mined in the history of the world," said a company spokesperson. "More gold than
has ever been mined in the history of the world."

Several startups in the industry agree with this statement, and have set their sights on mining asteroids in
addition to the moon's surface. Galactic metal mining, however, would require a complex logistical
supply chain system that involves finding a site, developing infrastructure, and supporting ongoing
mining operations — and unsurprisingly, it isn't cheap. Silverhorn Mining Company estimates that
launching a single spacecraft is the most costly part of the endeavour, totalling $10 million.

If that price tag seems intimidating, just think of the plentiful resources that might found in space and
beneath the surface of our own planet — worlds, quite literally, of untapped potential.

Page 2/3
PR.com Press Release Distribution Terms of Use
Contact Information:
Silverhorn Mining Company
Anabelle Henderson
00610261345902
Contact via Email
www.silverhornmining.com

Online Version of Press Release:

You can read the online version of this press release at: http://www.pr.com/press-release/710586

Page 3/3
PR.com Press Release Distribution Terms of Use