THE INSTITUTE

The Underwater Mining Institute

The UMI draws on the expertise of researchers, industry professionals, and environmental, resource, and policy managers worldwide to provide the latest information relevant to seabed minerals. Since the first UMI was held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1970, the Institute's primary goal has remained constant--to encourage prudent and responsible development of marine mineral resources through technical presentations in venues that promote informal and free exchange.

The theme varies each year, as does the location and host. Over the years the Institute has been held in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and South Korea. In 2004, the UMI will hold its first European meeting. Proceedings are not published nor are recordings of the sessions permitted without permission from the contributors. Presentations are scrutinized to ensure that the content and interactions of the UMI remain stimulating and fresh. International participation (to date by more than 25 nations) is promoted and supported. This unique and multidisciplinary approach is attributed to the Institute's founder, the late J. Robert "Robby" Moore, whose vision and contributions have laid the groundwork for the continued success of the UMI far beyond the borders of Wisconsin.

The Program Chairs

The late Professor J. Robert Moore founded the UMI in 1970 and chaired each Institute until his passing. Dr. Charles L. Morgan, a former President of IMMS and longtime worker in the area of seabed minerals, has served as his successor since 1994.

The Sponsoring Organizations

Technical and administrative support of the UMI are provided by the International Marine Minerals Society and the Hawai'i Undersea Research Laboratory, University of Hawai'i.

The International Marine Minerals Society (IMMS) is a professional society whose members share a common interest in various aspects of marine minerals. Founded in 1987, the IMMS now includes a worldwide membership of individuals from industry, government agencies, and academic institutions. The primary objective of the IMMS are: (1) to promote and improve the understanding of marine mineral deposits within the province of the global ocean; (2) to aid in the interchange of information among members through networking and formal symposia; (3) to encourage the prudent development of marine mineral resources, including concern for the environment; (4) to encourage research in all aspects of marine minerals development.

IMMS is a co-sponsor of the Underwater Mining Institute (UMI) and holds its annual meetings in conjunction with the UMI. Members of the IMMS receive a bi-annual newsletter, which includes summaries of the latest developments in the field of marine minerals. On occasion the IMMS presents the Moore Medal award to an individual who has contributed notably to the goals and initiatives of the Society in the areas of research, development and management. The Moore Medal is named in honor of Professor Moore who spent a long and distinguished career dedicated to the goals that are now followed by IMMS. He founded the UMI in 1970, and with the collaboration of several colleagues, initiated IMMS in 1987.

We invite you to join and participate in IMMS. Also, contributions to Soundings, the bi-annual newsletter, are welcome at any time. Please keep us informed of your interests and your addresses so that future announcements on IMMS and the UMI can reach you.

The Hawai'i Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL) at the University of Hawai'i was established to study deepwater marine processes in the Pacific Ocean. Charged with manned submersibles and an ROV, HURL research projects covers the geology and biology of emerging and subsiding islands, marine product and fishery assessments, processes of submarine mineral accumulations on seamounts, volcanoes, and islands, and deep-sea marine ecosystems influenced by natural and man-induced processes.


Previous Institutes

  • 34th UMI: 2004: London, United Kingdom (Imperial College) "Marine Minerals: The European Dimension" covering recent development in aggregates and shelf minerals, hydrothermal mineralization, and recent engineering applications, September 1-7.
  • 33rd UMI: 2003 Jeju, Korea (Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute) "New Horizons for Marine Mining: Progress through International Cooperation), October 6-10.
  • 32nd UMI: 2002 Wellington, New Zealand (Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences) involving submarine hydrothermal deposits with emphasis on volcanic arcs, seabed methane hydrates and hydrocarbon seeps, recent legal and regulatory issues, and new scientific discoveries.
  • 31st UMI: 2001 Hilo, Island of Hawai`i (U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA) involving seabed hydrothermal deposits and their associated ecosystems.
  • 30th UMI: 2000 Honolulu, O`ahu, Hawai`i (University of Hawai`i) involving the commercial, technological, scientific, and political aspects of marine minerals development.
  • 29th UMI: 1998 Toronto, Canada (University of Toronto) involving diamonds and metals: recent contributions of commercial activities and marine research to the development of high value terrestrial and marine deposits.
  • 28th UMI: 1997 Seattle, Washington (Sound Ocean Systems, Redmond, Washington) involving the advancement of marine mineral studies and technological developments.
  • 27th UMI: 1996 Washington, DC (National Academy of Sciences) involving marine minerals and international marine policy and the development of nonliving resources.
  • 26th UMI: 1995 St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada (University of St. John's at Newfoundland) involving aggregates and placers and environmental and policy issues.
  • 25th UMI: 1994 Monterey, California (U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA) involving environmental impacts of marine minerals development and the status of deep seabed mining and seabed hydrothermal deposits.
  • 24th UMI: 1993 Estes Park, Colorado (University of Toronto and NOAA National Geophysical Data Center, Boulder, CO) involving massive sulfides in the oceans: lessons for land and sea exploration, November 7-10.
  • 23rd UMI: 1992 Arlington, Virginia (U.S. Minerals Management Service, Herndon, VA) involving new discoveries of sulfide deposits, environmental impact studies, and continental shelf deposits. September 27-29.
  • 22nd UMI: 1991 Kahuku, O`ahu, Hawai`i (Marine Minerals Technology Center, Hawai`i and Mississippi) involving cobalt rich seamounts, sampling systems, sand mining, and geothermal development.
  • 21st UMI: 1990 Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, September 23-26, focusing on environmental impact issues.
  • 20th UMI: 1989 Madison, Wisconsin (Sea Grant Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison). Focus is on the latest information on hydrothermal studies, manganese nodules and crusts, placers, and marine mining technology, institutions, and financing, October 1-4.
  • 19th UMI: 1988 Woods Hole, Massachusetts (U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole, MA; IMMS, MMTC (Hawai'i and Mississippi) and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), October 2-5.
  • 18th UMI: 1987 Newport, Oregon (NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory), October 4-7, focusing on hydrothermal deposits and environmental impact issues.
  • 17th UMI: 1986 Biloxi, Mississippi (Mississippi Minerals Resources Institute), November 2-5, focusing on marine aggregrate mining.
  • 16th UMI: 1985 Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (Sea Grant Institute, University of Wisconsin, IMMS, and University of Texas-Austin), October 20-22, focusing on hydrothermal deposits and Canadian marine research.
  • 15th UMI: 1984 Madison, Wisconsin (Sea Grant Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison), focusing on hydrothermal deposits.
  • 14th UMI: 1983 Madison, Wisconsin (Sea Grant Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison), focusing on September 1983 coring results on the Juan de Fuca Ridge and the latest on the Red Sea, November 6-8.
  • 13th UMI: 1982 Madison, Wisconsin (Sea Grant Advisory Services, University of Wisconsin), focusing on new looks at traditional topics (placers, nodules, engineering constraints in coastal mining, and robotics) and on new papers on sulfides and spreading centers), October 26-28.
  • 12th UMI: 1981 Madison Wisconsin (Sea Grant Advisory Services, University of Wisconsin), focusing on sulfides and the geopolitics and critical importance of our strategic mineral supply position, October 20-22.
  • 11th UMI: 1980 Savannah, Georgia (Sea Grant Institute, University of Wisconsin), focusing on deep sea sulfides and in-shore placers., November 11-13.
  • 9th UMI: 1978 San Diego, CA (Sea Grant Programs of U of Alaska and Wisconsin), focusing primarily on nodule mining, October 19-20.
  • 8th UMI: 1977 Seattle, Washington (Sea Grant Programs of U of Alaska and Wisconsin), focusing on the changing events in the world scene of legal, political, and economic factors and the technological developments and environmental concerns., November 10-11.
  • 7th UMI: 1976 Madison, Wisconsin (Sea Grant College Program, University of Wisconsin), October 28-29, focusing on manganese nodule mining.
  • 6th UMI: 1975 Madison, Wisconsin (Sea Grant College Program, University of Wisconsin), October 2-3, focusing on manganese nodule and placer mining.
  • 5th UMI: 1974 Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Sea Grant College Program, University of Wisconsin). May 9-10, focusing on manganese nodule mining.
  • 4th UMI: 1973 Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Sea Grant College Program, University of Wisconsin). Focus in 1973 was on early commercial production of deepsea nodules, details of some new underwater mineral prospects, and some profitable approaches to both exploration and metal processing, April 12-14.
  • 3rd UMI: 1972 Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Sea Grant College Program University of Wisconsin) Focus was on early commercial production from new discoveries, including presentations on new underwater mines, April 27-28.
  • 1st UMI: 1970 Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Sea Grant Program, The University of Wisconsin), April 28-29, focusing on manganese nodule mining.