Ascholten said:
well if the dense gold would just drop out of the water (obviously someone doesn't know much about dissolved metals in solution).... then it would all be sitting on the ocean floor by now just waiting for someone to sweep it up...
Aaron
This, is correct.
There are certain and specific areas on the ocean floor at great depths where concentrations of minerals have, in fact, been discovered.
A close relative of mine was at the heart of exploratory efforts by a major US mining concern to develop those deposits which did contain a significant amount of Au.
The mineral concentrations kinda clump together and are called a nodule. I've had one in my hand.
The process developed did, more or less, sweep and vacuum the nodules from the ocean floor.
The corporation conducting research did not proceed with the process, which could have been profitable, because international law, as determined by political committees within the UN, was not favorable and would not clearly support the integrity of mining claims beneath the high seas in international waters.
Basically, the UN decided undersea wealth, not within territorial waters of any specific country, belonged to all populations of the earth, even landlocked countries, far from any sea.
Therefore, even those distant lands could have a legal claim against what may be recovered.
Obviously, there's good law, and bad law.
Without protection of law, the US corporation would not be able to count upon our gubment to protect their right to claims and once activity was noticed in an area, it would become subject to claim jumpers.
All information regarding the project, including prospecting data developed at great expense has been put on the shelf until such time as law comes about to allow secure profit by a commercial entity.
Until that time, all mankind shall go without the benefit.
So, answer to the question is, yes.
There is gold in seawater.
Every mineral upon the planet is in seawater, in varying concentrations.
Some places it has concentrated more than others.
Presently, it would not be economical to recover.
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