Semi-fixed deep sea mining and dressing integrated platform system and operation method thereof

Abstract

The application provides a semi-fixed deep-sea mining and dressing integrated platform system and a working method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of deep-sea mineral resource development. The system comprises an intermittently movable mining and dressing platform, multiple intelligent mining vehicles used in cooperation with the platform, and a full-automatic maintenance and repair robot system. The platform is divided into a lower layer, a middle layer and an upper layer by pressure-resistant partitions in the vertical direction. The lower layer is a pre-selection and tailings cementation layer, the middle layer is a fine ore dressing and dehydration layer, and the upper layer is a concentrate storage and transportation layer. The materials flow from bottom to top, and the tailings backfill from top to bottom, forming a closed-loop operation system. The platform adopts a semi-fixed design and is sunk to the center of a seabed ore body for long-term stable operation. After the mining and dressing of the ore body are completed, the platform is moved to the center of the next ore body. During the operation, multiple intelligent mining vehicles collect ore outside and return to the platform to unload the ore. The application reduces the energy consumption of movement by more than 90%, concentrates limited energy on ore dressing operation, and significantly improves the overall energy efficiency ratio.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of deep-sea mineral resource development technology, specifically relating to a semi-fixed deep-sea mining and beneficiation integrated platform system, which is suitable for large-scale mining and beneficiation of polymetallic nodules, cobalt-rich crusts, polymetallic sulfides and deep-sea rare earth mud. Background Technology

[0002] Deep-sea mining involves the entire process of exploration, mining, beneficiation, and transportation, requiring the coordination of multi-dimensional platforms and equipment systems, including seabed operations, underwater transport, power supply, central control, and surface support. Its systemic complexity and high technical difficulty place stringent demands on equipment development and system integration.

[0003] Current mainstream technology employs mobile mining platform solutions, integrating crushing, beneficiation, dewatering, and cementation functions into a single large platform to achieve mining while moving. However, this approach suffers from significant drawbacks, including difficulties in platform movement. Due to their massive weight, ranging from thousands to tens of thousands of tons, moving at depths of thousands of meters on the seabed presents challenges such as enormous energy consumption, slow turning, and poor adaptability to complex terrain. The difficulty in platform movement significantly reduces energy efficiency, as a large amount of energy is consumed during the platform's own displacement, resulting in a substantial reduction in energy available for beneficiation operations. Furthermore, the slow movement of these giant platforms forces mining and beneficiation operations to be performed sequentially, preventing parallel operations and severely limiting the capacity for large-scale continuous production. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention provides a semi-fixed deep-sea mining and beneficiation integrated platform system. This system integrates a semi-fixed mining and beneficiation platform, multiple intelligent mobile mining vehicles, and a fully automated inspection and maintenance robot. It can complete the entire process of ore collection, crushing, screening, pre-selection, fine beneficiation, tailings cementing backfilling, and concentrate hoisting in situ on the seabed, and achieve autonomous equipment maintenance.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: On one hand, the present invention provides a semi-fixed deep-sea integrated mining and processing platform system, comprising: The main body of the mining and beneficiation platform (100) adopts a streamlined hull structure. The interior is divided into three compartments vertically by pressure-resistant bulkheads: a lower pre-selection and tailings cementing layer, a middle fine beneficiation and dewatering layer, and an upper concentrate storage and transportation layer. Materials flow from bottom to top within the main body of the platform (100), and tailings are backfilled from top to bottom, forming a closed-loop operation system. The main body of the platform (100) operates stably in one mining site for a long period of time. After the ore in that area is mined and beneficiated, the entire platform is moved to the center of the next ore body to realize the continuous development of multiple mining areas. Multiple intelligent mining vehicles (200), used in conjunction with the platform body (100), are used to collect ore outside and return to the platform body (100) to unload; and The fully automated inspection and maintenance robot system is located in each compartment and is used for the inspection, fault diagnosis and maintenance of the equipment on the corresponding level.

[0006] In another aspect, the present invention also provides an operation method for a semi-fixed deep-sea integrated mining and processing platform system, comprising the following steps: The main body of the mining and beneficiation platform is placed in the center of the seabed ore body as the main port for mining and beneficiation operations. The main body of the mining and beneficiation platform is vertically divided into a lower pre-selection and tailings cementation layer, a middle fine beneficiation and dewatering layer, and an upper concentrate storage and transportation layer. Multiple intelligent mining vehicles leave the main platform and go to their respective work areas. They automatically switch the type of collector to collect ore based on the real-time identification of the mineral type and grade, and return to the main mining and beneficiation platform after the storage and transportation are fully loaded. After the intelligent mining vehicle enters the water inlet and outlet drainage chamber of the main body of the platform to drain water, it unloads the ore. The ore is then crushed and screened in the lower layer and pre-selected. The useful minerals are then lifted to the middle layer for grinding, classification, slurry preparation and reagent addition, flotation and magnetic separation and dewatering. The resulting concentrate filter cake is then sent to the upper layer for classified storage. The tailings from the mineral processing are returned to the lower layer, mixed with cementitious materials, and pressed into high-density blocks, which are then backfilled into the mined-out area at designated locations; the concentrate is metered and transported to the sea surface via either pneumatic or hydraulic lifting. Layered maintenance robots perform inspections, fault diagnosis, and maintenance on equipment at each layer, ensuring the platform's long-term stable operation. The mining and beneficiation platform operates stably in one mining site for a long period of time. After the ore in that area is mined and beneficiated, it is moved to the center of the next ore body to realize the continuous development of multiple mining areas.

[0007] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: This invention employs a semi-fixed platform and a separate design for mobile mining vehicles. The platform serves as a fixed base, while only small mining vehicles are deployed for operations, reducing mobile energy consumption by over 90%. Limited energy is concentrated on ore processing, significantly improving overall energy efficiency. Simultaneously, multiple mining vehicles operate collaboratively in designated areas, with unloading and ore processing occurring simultaneously, achieving parallel mining and ore processing, eliminating sequential waiting time, and greatly enhancing large-scale continuous production capacity. Attached Figure Description

[0008] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0009] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a semi-fixed deep-sea integrated mining and processing platform system according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is another perspective schematic diagram of the overall structure of a semi-fixed deep-sea integrated mining and processing platform system of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the intelligent mining vehicle structure of a semi-fixed deep-sea mining and processing integrated platform system according to the present invention; Figure 4 This is another structural schematic diagram of the intelligent mining vehicle of the semi-fixed deep-sea mining and processing integrated platform system of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the lower pre-selection and tailings cementing layer of a semi-fixed deep-sea mining and beneficiation integrated platform system of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the intermediate fine mineral processing and dehydration layer of a semi-fixed deep-sea mining and beneficiation integrated platform system of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the upper concentrate storage and transportation layer of a semi-fixed deep-sea mining and beneficiation integrated platform system of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the overall structure of a semi-fixed deep-sea integrated mining and processing platform system according to the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a modified embodiment of a semi-fixed deep-sea integrated mining and processing platform system of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0010] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0011] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0012] This invention employs a separate design combining a semi-fixed platform and mobile mining vehicles. The integrated mining and beneficiation system is constructed as an intermittently movable home port, submerged at the center of a seabed ore body, allowing for long-term stable operation at a single mining site. Once the ore in that area is mined and beneficiated, the home port is relocated to the center of the next ore body, enabling continuous development across multiple mining areas. During operation, multiple small, flexible mining vehicles go out to collect ore and return to the home port to unload, allowing the platform to focus on beneficiation and the mining vehicles to focus on mining, maximizing efficiency through each vehicle performing its specific function.

[0013] like Figures 1-8 As shown, a semi-fixed deep-sea mining and processing integrated platform system includes: a main mining and processing platform 100 that can be moved intermittently, multiple intelligent mining vehicles 200, and a fully automated inspection and maintenance robot system. The main mining and processing platform 100 operates stably at one mining site for a long period. After the ore in that area is mined and processed, it is moved as a whole to the center of the next ore body, realizing the continuous development of multiple mining areas. The multiple intelligent mining vehicles 200 are used in conjunction with the main mining and processing platform 100 for collecting ore and returning to the main platform 100 for unloading. Wherein: like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the main body of the acquisition platform 100 adopts a streamlined hull structure with an elliptical cross-section and a length-to-diameter ratio of 4:1 to 6:1, reducing hydrodynamic drag and providing load-bearing space for the three-level compartments. The blunt-rounded drag-reducing head at the front end has an ellipsoidal structure with a wall thickness of 80 to 150 mm, and is covered with a polyurethane elastomer anti-collision layer to reduce navigation drag and absorb collision energy.

[0014] The outer shell 100-1 of the main body of the mining platform 100 is made of Q690E high-strength steel plate with a wall thickness of 50 to 100 mm and a yield strength of not less than 690 MPa, capable of withstanding an external pressure of 60 MPa at a water depth of 6000 meters, ensuring structural integrity and safety. The outer shell 100-1 employs a triple-protection system for corrosion: a TA2 pure titanium alloy anti-corrosion layer covers corrosion-sensitive areas with a thickness of 3 to 5 mm; the outer surface is coated with epoxy zinc-rich primer, epoxy micaceous iron oxide intermediate paint, and polyurethane topcoat, with a total thickness of not less than 300 micrometers; and an aluminum-zinc-indium alloy sacrificial anode is installed and used in conjunction with an impressed current cathodic protection system. These three elements work together to form a complete protection system of physical isolation, metallurgical corrosion prevention, and electrochemical protection, effectively inhibiting seawater corrosion and ensuring structural safety, corrosion resistance reliability, and long-term operational stability in deep-sea environments.

[0015] The main body of the mining and beneficiation platform 100 includes: two symmetrically arranged stern main thrusters 100-2, employing ducted propellers for fine-tuning horizontal position and resisting ocean current deviation; two symmetrically arranged stern auxiliary thrusters 100-3, employing channeled waterjet propulsion to assist in adjusting the platform's pitch attitude; two vertical tail rudders 100-4 located above the stern to maintain directional stability and reduce vortex-induced vibration; six symmetrically arranged horizontal stabilizers 100-5 to increase lateral stability after the platform is grounded; four to eight top pneumatic lifting ports 100-6 serving as main pipeline interfaces for concentrate transportation; four to eight top hydraulic lifting ports 100-7 serving as backup slurry transportation channels; two to four top umbilical cable interfaces 100-8 connecting to power supply, control signals, and communication umbilical cables; and one to two maintenance and hoisting ports 100-9 for hoisting, replacing, and repairing large equipment. Three mining vehicle access hatches (100-10) are located at the front of the platform, allowing mining vehicles to enter and exit while ensuring watertightness. Two to four maintenance robot hatches (100-11) allow robots to go out for inspection and maintenance. Two emergency escape hatches (100-12) are used for emergency escape and provide emergency survival support.

[0016] The main body of the mining and beneficiation platform 100 is internally divided into three compartments vertically by pressure-resistant partitions. The lower compartment is the pre-selection and tailings cementing layer, responsible for ore receiving, crushing, screening, pre-selection, and tailings backfilling. The middle compartment is the fine beneficiation and dewatering layer, responsible for grinding, classification, slurry preparation, flotation, magnetic separation, dewatering, and tailings conveying. The upper compartment is the concentrate storage and transportation layer, responsible for the classified storage, metering, and hoisting of the three types of concentrates, as well as centralized control of the entire platform. Materials flow from bottom to top, and tailings are backfilled from top to bottom, forming a complete closed-loop operation system.

[0017] like Figure 5As shown, the lower layer serves as the raw material receiving and pre-processing center, primarily equipped with the following equipment: a dewatering chamber 201 for mining vehicles to enter and exit the platform and to drain seawater; its internal unloading chute automatically unloads ore. A heavy-duty scraper conveyor 202, located below the unloading chute, transports the ore to the crushing system and regulates the feeding speed. A jaw crusher 203 handles coarse crushing, breaking the ore to below 100 mm. A multi-cylinder hydraulic cone crusher 204 performs medium and fine crushing of the ore, producing uniform particles of 30 to 80 mm. A vibrating screen, in conjunction with a high-pressure spray system 205, separates 0.5 to 50 mm blocky ore from muddy materials smaller than 0.5 mm through screening and spraying. The oversize material (0.5–50 mm blocky ore) enters the identification and pre-selection system 206, where, after sorting by sensors such as X-rays, valuable minerals are sent to the intermediate layer via elevator 207; tailings and waste rock are sent to the tailings cementing system. The undersize material (mud-like material smaller than 0.5 mm) is classified and enriched by hydrocyclone 208, and the rare earth pre-selected concentrate is also transferred to the intermediate layer via elevator 207. The waste mixed with cementitious material is mixed by twin-shaft mixer 209 to form a mixture, which is then pressed into high-density blocks by hydraulic brick press 210. Block buffer bin 211 provides 50 cubic meters of temporary storage space, and its bottom is equipped with 6 to 8 sets of hydraulic bottom-opening doors to realize the fixed-point backfilling operation of the goaf.

[0018] The middle layer serves as a fine beneficiation and dehydration layer, such as Figure 6 As shown, the system includes the following core equipment: a wet ball mill 300 grinds the ore to a standard size of 200 mesh, equipped with high-chromium steel balls and wear-resistant liners. A classifying hydrocyclone 301 achieves 74-micron particle size classification through multi-stage series connection; coarse particles are returned for regrinding while fine particles enter the slurry conditioning system. The slurry conditioning system includes a reagent tank 302 and a mixing tank 303. The mixing tank 303 mixes the lumpy ore slurry and rare earth mud at a speed of 200 to 400 revolutions per minute, while simultaneously reacting fully with various beneficiation reagents provided in the reagent tank 302. A flotation machine 304 has 4 to 8 cells, preferentially separating polymetallic sulfides through froth flotation. A magnetic separator 305 uses an adjustable magnetic field strength of 1000 to 5000 Gauss to separate polymetallic nodules and cobalt-rich crusts using magnetic differences. A high-efficiency thickener 306 has a processing capacity of 50 to 100 tons per hour, which can increase the slurry concentration to 60%. Filter press 307 employs high-pressure diaphragm technology to dewater the concentrate to a moisture content of less than 12%. Elevator 308 is responsible for transporting the dewatered concentrate filter cake to the upper storage tank. All equipment works in concert to achieve efficient ore sorting and deep dewatering.

[0019] The upper layer serves as a center for the distribution of concentrates, such as Figure 7As shown, the following key equipment is configured: Concentrate storage silos 400 contain 9 to 12 independent stainless steel-lined silos, each with a volume of 200 cubic meters, equipped with level gauges and arch-breaking devices to ensure smooth unloading. Screw conveyors 401 employ a variable frequency drive tubular structure, achieving a concentrate conveying capacity of 50 tons per hour. Pneumatic lifting system 402 utilizes a Roots blower to generate high-pressure airflow for conveying dry powder concentrate, while hydraulic lifting system 403 uses a high-pressure water pump to form a slurry flow for conveying filter cake concentrate. The two systems can intelligently switch or operate in parallel.

[0020] Control center 405 is equipped with a redundant PLC control system, DCS operator station, and large-screen monitoring system. It maintains real-time data interaction with vessels at sea via dual-channel communication, enabling fully unmanned intelligent monitoring and management of three types of concentrate storage status. All equipment works together to ensure the safe storage and efficient transportation of concentrate.

[0021] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, the intelligent mining vehicle adopts an all-in-one design. The intelligent mining vehicle 200 includes: a multimodal sensing system 200-1 located at the front of the mining vehicle, including an underwater X-ray fluorescence sensor, a laser-induced breakdown spectrometer, an acousto-optic-magnetic multimodal sensing system, and a real-time in-situ mineral measurement sensor located at the front of the acquisition head. Its function is to identify the mineral type and grade in real time and provide a basis for automatically switching the acquisition device.

[0022] The intelligent mining vehicle 200 also includes: a polymetallic nodule collector 200-2, which adopts a hydraulic suction structure. It uses a high-pressure water pump to generate negative pressure, drawing in nodules along with surface soft mud through a wide suction port. After separation, the nodules are collected. A cobalt-rich crust collector 200-3 uses a spiral drum-type cutting head. A hydraulic cylinder drives a robotic arm to achieve pitch and extension movements. It is connected to the chassis via a hinged support. Its function is to precisely cut cobalt-rich crusts attached to the surface of seamount bedrock, minimizing damage to the bedrock. A metal sulfide collector 200-4 uses a counter-rotating drum-type cutting head and integrates a high-pressure water jet auxiliary crushing device. Hinged to the lower part of the chassis, its function is to crush polymetallic sulfide ore bodies with a Mohs hardness of 3-5, and to suppress dust and assist cutting through water jets. The deep-sea rare earth sludge collector 200-5 uses a wide, soft suction port to draw rare earth sludge into the mining vehicle's storage and transport container via negative pressure, and then transfers it to the unloading chute for unloading. Its function is to collect and temporarily store rare earth sludge. The storage and transport container 200-6 is equipped with a high-precision weighing sensor at the bottom to monitor the weight of the ore inside in real time. When the weight reaches a set value, such as five tons, the trolley automatically stops collecting and returns to the platform for unloading. The weighing system also enables production statistics, accurately recording the mining volume of each trolley per shift. The navigation and control system 200-7 includes an inertial navigation system, a Doppler velocimeter, ultra-short baseline positioning, a sonar obstacle avoidance system, and an underwater camera. Its function is to achieve real-time positioning of the trolley, attitude measurement, ground velocity measurement, platform relative positioning, obstacle detection, and visual monitoring.

[0023] This system employs a multi-car mining operation mode, with three to six cars available depending on the ore body size and platform processing capacity. The collaborative operation of multiple cars offers three major advantages: wide coverage, with each car responsible for a specific work area, resulting in a coverage area several times that of a single machine; continuous operation, where other cars continue mining even when one car is fully loaded and returning to unload, achieving parallel mining and unloading; and high equipment utilization, ensuring that if one car malfunctions, the others continue operating normally without causing a system shutdown.

[0024] The fully automated inspection and maintenance robot system is deployed in layers, with specialized models equipped for different working environments to ensure stable platform operation. For example... Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7As shown, the lower-level maintenance robot 212 includes a fixed inspection robot responsible for the inspection and minor repair of equipment such as crushers, screening machines, mineral identification equipment, and tailings cementing devices; it also includes an amphibious robot to handle issues such as water accumulation in the unloading area and malfunctions in the mining trolley. The middle-level maintenance robot 309 has a fixed inspection robot that monitors the operating status of mineral processing equipment such as ball mills, flotation machines, and magnetic separators; it also has a cable-type pipeline robot that uses cameras and ultrasonic thickness gauges to detect wear and deposits on the inner walls of slurry pipelines to prevent blockages and leaks. The upper-level maintenance robot 404 deploys fixed inspection units to maintain the concentrate storage bins, conveying and hoisting systems; it also includes an explosion-proof robot equipped with dust sensors and thermal imagers to monitor the risk of material arching in the storage bins and pipeline blockages in real time, ensuring safe operation in dusty environments. The robots at each level work together to achieve intelligent inspection and preventative maintenance of all equipment on the platform.

[0025] This invention configures specialized robots for three different environments (aquatic type for the lower layer, pipeline type for the middle layer, and dust explosion-proof type for the upper layer) to achieve autonomous equipment inspection, fault diagnosis and maintenance, avoid system shutdown due to single point of failure, ensure long-term stable operation of the platform at a depth of 6,000 meters, and solve the problem of the harsh deep-sea environment and the extreme difficulty of manual maintenance.

[0026] The semi-fixed deep-sea integrated mining and processing platform system in the above embodiments has the following operation process: S1. Placement and positioning of the mining platform.

[0027] After being towed to the target mining site by a mining vessel, the platform is submerged using a ballast water system. It employs an ellipsoidal head structure to reduce water resistance and is equipped with a polyurethane anti-collision layer. Once submerged on the seabed, the main and auxiliary propulsion systems work together to adjust the horizontal position, while the vertical tail rudder and stabilizing fins ensure attitude stability. After settling on the seabed, it connects to the surface via an umbilical cable interface to transmit power and signals, and the platform enters operational status.

[0028] S2, intelligent mining vehicle goes out to collect data.

[0029] The platform opens its hatch to release mining vehicles, with three to six vehicles operating simultaneously. Each mining vehicle is equipped with a multimodal sensing system that uses X-ray fluorescence, laser spectroscopy, and acousto-optic-magnetic sensors to analyze mineral types in real time and automatically switch collectors. Based on the identification results, it initiates hydraulic suction for polymetallic nodules, robotic arm cutting for cobalt-rich crusts, drum crushing for sulfides, or negative pressure suction for rare earth slime. Weighing sensors inside the storage and transport container monitor the ore weight; when a set value is reached, the vehicle automatically returns to its starting point, with inertial navigation and sonar obstacle avoidance systems ensuring a precise return journey.

[0030] S3, the lower layer is for receiving and pre-processing raw materials.

[0031] In its specific implementation, S3 includes the following steps: During the unloading stage of the S31 mining truck, after the mining truck enters the dehydration chamber to drain the seawater, the hydraulic flap automatically opens, and the ore slides into the unloading chute to complete the automatic unloading.

[0032] In the S32 crushing stage, the heavy-duty scraper conveyor 202 sends the ore to the jaw crusher 203 for coarse crushing to below 100 mm, and then the multi-cylinder hydraulic cone crusher 204 for fine crushing to within 80 mm.

[0033] In the S33 screening stage, a vibrating screen, in conjunction with a high-pressure spray system 205, separates lumpy ore from mud using a 0.5 mm sieve.

[0034] In the S34 pre-selection stage, the oversize lump ore is sorted for useful minerals by the identification pre-selection system 206, and the undersize mud is enriched for rare earth elements by the hydrocyclone 208. The two types of concentrates are lifted to the middle layer by the elevator 207.

[0035] In the S35 backfilling stage, the tailings are mixed with cementitious materials by a twin-shaft mixer 209 and then formed into high-density blocks by a hydraulic brick press 210 for temporary storage and buffering, and finally backfilled into the goaf.

[0036] Compared with traditional mixed treatment, this process achieves precise pre-selection of minerals through block mud sorting technology, and forms a zero-emission closed-loop system by combining tailings briquetting and backfilling technology, which greatly improves the recovery rate of valuable elements and ensures marine environmental safety.

[0037] S4, the middle layer is used for fine mineral processing and dehydration.

[0038] In its specific implementation, S4 includes the following steps: In the S41 grinding stage, the oversize lump ore is ground to 200 mesh (70%) by a wet ball mill at 300 rpm, and the undersize rare earth mud is directly bypassed for slurry preparation to prevent over-grinding.

[0039] In the S42 classification stage, the classification hydrocyclone 301 classifies the slurry, with coarse particles being returned to the mill and fine particles being fed into the slurry conditioning process.

[0040] In the S43 slurry preparation stage, the mixing tank 303 mixes the slurry and the reagent tank 302 adds mineral processing reagents to enhance the surface differences of the minerals.

[0041] In the S44 flotation stage, flotation machine 304 preferentially separates polymetallic sulfide foam products.

[0042] In the S45 magnetic separation stage, magnetic separator 305 separates cobalt-rich concentrate with polymetallic nodules through weak magnetic separation.

[0043] In the S46 dewatering stage, the concentrate is concentrated by the high-efficiency thickener 306 and then dewatered into filter cake by the high-pressure diaphragm filter press 307, which is then sent to the storage tank via the elevator 308.

[0044] In the S47 return phase, the tailings are pumped back to the lower backfill system via slurry pumps, and the process water is recycled to achieve zero discharge.

[0045] Compared to traditional processes, this innovative process combines rare earth mud bypass technology with magnetic levitation to avoid excessive wear and tear on rare earths, achieving efficient separation of three types of deep-sea minerals. At the same time, it achieves clean production goals through a full-process water circulation system.

[0046] S5. Closed-loop management of concentrate is implemented in the upper layer.

[0047] In its specific implementation, S5 includes the following steps: In the S51 storage stage, the concentrate storage silos are classified into three types: sulfide, nodules and crusts, and rare earth concentrates. They are equipped with material level monitoring and arch-breaking devices to ensure gravity unloading.

[0048] In the S52 metering stage, an independent screw conveyor, in conjunction with a metering device with an accuracy of 0.5, enables precise weighing and production statistics of various concentrates.

[0049] During the S53 lifting phase, pneumatic lifting 402 and hydraulic lifting 403 operate in parallel in two modes, automatically switching the conveying mode according to the moisture content of the concentrate to meet the needs of different working conditions.

[0050] During the S54 control phase, the control center 405, in collaboration with the maintenance robot 404, completes unattended monitoring of the entire platform and intelligent scheduling of concentrate classification.

[0051] The system avoids cross-contamination through independent storage and transportation of three concentrates, and ensures transportation reliability through dual-mode technology, ultimately achieving intelligent management of the entire process of deep-sea minerals from storage to transportation.

[0052] S6. In parallel with the above-mentioned ore beneficiation and hoisting processes, the lower layer continues to carry out harmless treatment and backfilling of tailings.

[0053] In its specific implementation, S6 includes the following steps: In the S61 mixing stage, the three types of tailings enter a twin-shaft mixer and are forcibly mixed with cementitious materials for three to five minutes to form a homogeneous slurry.

[0054] In the S62 pressing and molding stage, the mixture is made into 200 mm cubic high-density blocks by a hydraulic brick press under a pressure of 20 to 30 MPa. The block density is 1.8 to 2.2 g per cubic centimeter to ensure self-sinking performance.

[0055] In the S63 backfilling stage, the formed blocks are temporarily stored in the buffer bin and then delivered to the seabed goaf area through multiple sets of hydraulic bottom-opening doors to achieve precise backfilling and geological stabilization.

[0056] This process uses mechanical solidification technology to transform waste into stable blocks, ensuring structural support for seabed mining areas, while also solving the problem of tailings discharge and building a complete closed loop for green development of deep-sea mineral resources.

[0057] S7. Once the ore at the mining site is mined and processed, the platform ceases operation. The platform is then dewatered and floated to the surface via the ballast water system. The main and auxiliary thrusters at the tail end drive the platform to migrate to the center of the next ore body, repeating the above operation process to achieve continuous development of multiple mining areas.

[0058] Throughout the process, materials flow from bottom to top (from lower-level collection, crushing, screening, and pre-selection, to middle-level grinding, grading, slurry preparation, beneficiation, and dewatering, and then to upper-level storage, metering, and hoisting), while tailings are backfilled from top to bottom (tailings from each layer are collected in the lower layer to cement and agglomerate, and then backfilled in the mined-out area at the bottom), forming a complete closed-loop operation system. Simultaneously, based on actual production needs, the platform can flexibly select the following operating paths: for high-grade ore, it can be directly hoisted to the sea surface after only lower-level pre-selection; for ore requiring deep enrichment, it can be hoisted after middle-level fine beneficiation and dewatering; for ore not yet processed, it can be buffered in the upper-level storage tank and hoisted in batches as needed. These three modes can be combined and switched as needed, enabling the entire system to achieve optimal operation under different operating conditions.

[0059] The above embodiment, with its three-layer vertical arrangement from bottom to top (lower, middle, and upper layers), is a preferred embodiment, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Depending on actual seabed operating conditions, mineral characteristics, platform size, and energy consumption requirements, the present invention can also employ various modified embodiments, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0060] In some mining areas or under specific technological conditions, the three-layer layout can be reversed, with the upper layer at the bottom, the middle layer in the middle, and the lower layer at the top. Mining vehicles enter from the top of the platform, unloading the collected ore into the top pre-selection and tailings cementing layer. After crushing, screening, and pre-selection, the valuable minerals and tailings flow by gravity through chutes or pipelines to the middle fine beneficiation and dewatering layer. After grinding, classification, slurry preparation, flotation, magnetic separation, and dewatering, the concentrate continues to flow by gravity to the bottom concentrate storage layer. Once a certain quantity is reached, it is transported to the sea surface via a hoisting system. The tailings also flow by gravity from top to bottom to the bottom backfill release system. The core advantage of this variant is that it completely eliminates vertical lifting equipment such as elevators one and two, allowing materials to flow entirely by gravity from top to bottom, significantly reducing energy consumption during internal platform transport. This is particularly suitable for operations in deep water and with high platforms, and simplifies the internal conveying mechanism, improving system reliability.

[0061] Depending on the complexity of the beneficiation process and the platform's carrying capacity, this invention is not limited to requiring three layers. For scenarios with short beneficiation processes requiring only rough processing, only one or two layers may be necessary. For example: Single-layer mode: All processes such as crushing, screening, pre-selection, and dewatering are arranged in the same compartment. Mining vehicles unload directly on this layer and complete all processing, producing rough concentrate which is then directly lifted to the sea surface. This mode is suitable for scenarios where the seabed ore grade is high, requiring no fine separation, or where only desliming and pre-enrichment are needed to meet subsequent metallurgical requirements. This mode features the simplest platform structure and the lowest construction cost. Two-layer mode: Pre-selection and tailings cementing functions are combined in the lower layer, while fine beneficiation, dewatering, and concentrate storage are combined in the upper layer. Alternatively, the functions of any two adjacent layers can be combined into the same layer according to process requirements, eliminating the intermediate layer. This mode is suitable for scenarios where the beneficiation process is between rough and fine processing, with a moderate number of equipment, achieving a balance between energy consumption and processing depth. Three-layer full-function mode: that is, the standard mode described in the above embodiments, which is suitable for complex scenarios where multiple minerals such as polymetallic nodules, cobalt-rich crusts, sulfides and rare earth mud are co-mined and require complete sorting and deep enrichment.

[0062] In all modes, each layer can operate independently or be combined as needed. For example, the lower layer can independently produce pre-selected rough concentrate for direct extraction; the lower and middle layers can be combined to produce dehydrated concentrate; and the lower, middle, and upper layers can be combined to produce concentrate for classified storage. The system flexibly switches operating modes according to work instructions, enabling various operational strategies such as immediate extraction, batch extraction after extraction and dehydration, or centralized extraction after buffering, maximizing adaptability to the scheduling capabilities of offshore mining vessels and market demand for concentrate grade.

[0063] In another embodiment, as an alternative to the aforementioned tail-thrust self-propelled drive method, the present invention also provides a drive method involving towing by a steel wire rope on the sea surface. For example... Figure 9 As shown, this design eliminates the stern thruster. Multiple evenly distributed high-strength steel wire rope connection points are installed on the top of the platform, enabling precise traction and movement via a winch system on the surface vessel. The steel wire ropes simultaneously serve three functions: towing, power transmission, and signal communication. The platform adopts a blunt-headed streamlined or ellipsoidal design to reduce hydrodynamic resistance. Internally, it retains complete three-layer mining, beneficiation, storage, transportation, and tailings treatment functions; only the drive mechanism has changed. In actual operation, the platform serves as a fixed mining and beneficiation center, permanently residing in the mining area, while mining vehicles handle peripheral operations. After the current ore deposit is mined and beneficiated, the surface vessel coordinates the deployment and retraction of multiple steel wire ropes to achieve a step-by-step migration of the platform, gradually expanding the mining area.

[0064] Under typical operating conditions of 4000 meters water depth and 2000-ton platform load, eight 60-80 mm high-strength steel wire ropes can be used, with a single rope breaking strength of no less than 500 tons and a safety factor greater than 6. This solution externalizes the power system to the sea surface, simplifies the platform structure, reduces energy consumption and maintenance difficulty, and is suitable for large-scale mining development requiring frequent short-distance movement, providing users with an economical alternative to traditional self-propelled propulsion.

[0065] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A semi-fixed deep-sea integrated mining and processing platform system, characterized in that, include: The main body of the mining and beneficiation platform (100) adopts a streamlined hull structure. The interior is divided into three compartments vertically by pressure-resistant bulkheads: a lower pre-selection and tailings cementing layer, a middle fine beneficiation and dewatering layer, and an upper concentrate storage and transportation layer. Materials flow from bottom to top within the main body of the platform (100), and tailings are backfilled from top to bottom, forming a closed-loop operation system. The main body of the platform (100) operates stably in one mining site for a long period of time. After the ore in that area is mined and beneficiated, the entire platform is moved to the center of the next ore body to realize the continuous development of multiple mining areas. Multiple intelligent mining vehicles (200), used in conjunction with the platform body (100), are used to collect ore and return to the platform body (100) for unloading; and The fully automated inspection and maintenance robot system is located in each compartment and is used for the inspection, fault diagnosis and maintenance of the equipment on the corresponding level.

2. The semi-fixed deep-sea integrated mining and processing platform system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The platform entity (100) includes: The streamlined pressure-resistant shell is constructed with high-strength steel plates and a composite anti-corrosion layer. Propulsion and attitude control devices are arranged at the tail and sides of the streamlined pressure-resistant shell; The top delivery interface and the top umbilical cable interface are located on the top of the streamlined pressure-resistant housing; The propulsion and attitude control device includes a main thruster, an auxiliary thruster, a vertical tail rudder, and a horizontal stabilizer. The top conveying interface includes a pneumatic lifting interface and a hydraulic lifting interface, used for dual-mode conveying of concentrate to the sea surface.

3. The semi-fixed deep-sea integrated mining and processing platform system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The multi-level compartments include: The lower pre-selection and tailings cementing layer is used for ore receiving, crushing, screening, pre-selection and tailings cementing backfilling; The intermediate fine mineral processing and dewatering layer is used for grinding, classification, slurry preparation, flotation, magnetic separation, dewatering, and tailings transportation; The upper concentrate storage and transportation layer is used for the classification, storage, metering, hoisting, and centralized control of the entire platform for concentrate.

4. The semi-fixed deep-sea integrated mining and processing platform system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The lower pre-selected and tailings cemented layer includes: The dehydration chamber (201) is located at the front end of the streamlined pressure-resistant shell and is used for mining vehicles to enter and exit the platform and drain seawater, so as to realize the unpowered self-unloading of ore. A heavy-duty scraper conveyor (202) is arranged at the bottom of the unloading chute of the dewatering chamber and connected to the crushing equipment; The crushing equipment includes a jaw crusher (203) and a cone crusher (204), wherein the jaw crusher (203) is connected to the heavy-duty scraper conveyor (202), and the cone crusher (204) is connected to the jaw crusher (203); the cone crusher (203) is connected to a vibrating screen. The vibrating screen, in conjunction with a high-pressure spray system (205), separates 0.5 to 50 mm blocky ore and less than 0.5 mm muddy material through screening and spraying. A pre-selection system (206) is arranged at the oversize outlet of the vibrating screen; Elevator 1 (207) is connected to the useful mineral outlet of the identification and pre-selection system (206) and the fine mineral beneficiation and dehydration layer in the middle layer, respectively; A hydrocyclone (208) is arranged at the undersize outlet of the vibrating screen; The tailings treatment device includes a twin-shaft mixer (209), a hydraulic brick press (210), and a block buffer silo (211). The feed end of the twin-shaft mixer (209) is connected to the tailings discharge end of the identification and pre-selection device (206) and the sand discharge end of the hydrocyclone (208). The discharge end of the twin-shaft mixer (209) is connected to the block buffer silo (211) via the hydraulic brick press (210). The bottom of the block buffer silo (211) is provided with a hydraulic bottom opening door.

5. A semi-fixed deep-sea integrated mining and processing platform system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The intermediate fine beneficiation and dehydration layer includes: A wet ball mill (300) is connected to the elevator (207) of the lower pre-selection and tailings cementation layer; A classifying hydrocyclone (301) is connected to the wet ball mill (300), and its underflow outlet is connected to the feed inlet of the wet ball mill (300); The reagent tank (302) and the mixing tank (303) are arranged sequentially downstream of the overflow outlet of the classifying hydrocyclone (301); The flotation machine (304) and the magnetic separator (305) are respectively connected to the stirring tank (303) and are used to separate different types of minerals; A high-efficiency thickener (306) is connected to the concentrate outlet of the flotation machine (304) and the magnetic separator (305); A high-pressure diaphragm filter press (307) is connected to the underflow outlet of the high-efficiency thickener (306); Elevator 2 (308) is connected to the filter cake outlet of the high-pressure diaphragm filter press (307) and the upper concentrate storage and transportation layer, respectively.

6. A semi-fixed deep-sea integrated mining and processing platform system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The upper concentrate storage and transportation layer includes: The concentrate storage silo (400) is equipped with 9 to 12 storage compartments, each compartment is independently equipped with a level gauge, temperature sensor, pneumatic arch breaker, silo wall vibrator and independent unloading gate; Screw conveyor (401), each concentrate is equipped with an independent unloading screw conveyor and metering device; A pneumatic lifting system (402), comprising a Roots blower and a Venturi injector, is used for dry powder concentrate with a moisture content of less than 5%; A hydraulic lifting system (403) includes a high-pressure water pump and a venturi tube for filter cake concentrate with a moisture content of 8% to 12%; The control center (405) is equipped with redundant PLC control cabinets, DCS operator stations, monitoring screens, process optimization computers, data servers, and fiber optic and acoustic dual-channel communication systems. The pneumatic lifting system (402) and the hydraulic lifting system (403) adopt a dual-mode automatic switching: under normal circumstances, pneumatic lifting is used, and when the water content is too high, it automatically switches to hydraulic lifting. If either mode fails, it switches to the other mode. The two modes can operate simultaneously.

7. A semi-fixed deep-sea integrated mining and processing platform system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The intelligent mining vehicle (200) includes: The multimodal sensing system (200-1) located at the front end of the mining vehicle includes an underwater X-ray fluorescence sensor, a laser-induced breakdown spectrometer, an acousto-optic-magnetic multimodal sensing system, and a real-time in-situ ore measuring sensor located at the front end of the acquisition head. The mining vehicle is equipped with various collectors, including a hydraulic suction type polymetallic nodule collector, a spiral drum type cobalt-rich crust collector, a counter-rotating drum type metal sulfide collector, and a wide-width soft-mouth deep-sea rare earth soft mud collector. The storage and transportation box (200-6) located in the middle of the intelligent mining vehicle is equipped with a weighing sensor at its bottom; The navigation control system (200-7) located inside the mining vehicle is connected to the multimodal sensing system, various data collectors, and storage and transportation boxes.

8. A semi-fixed deep-sea integrated mining and processing platform system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The fully automated inspection and maintenance robot system includes: The lower-level maintenance robot (212) includes a stationary fixed inspection robot and an amphibious mobile maintenance robot. The amphibious mobile maintenance robot is used for maintenance in waterlogged environments and for maintenance of mining trolley walking mechanisms that malfunction or the collection head that gets stuck. The mid-level maintenance robot (309) includes a stationary fixed inspection robot and a cable-type slurry pipeline inspection robot. The cable-type slurry pipeline inspection robot is equipped with a high-definition camera, an ultrasonic thickness gauge and a pressure sensor, and is used for autonomous walking and online monitoring inside the slurry pipeline. The upper-level maintenance robot (404) includes a stationary fixed inspection robot and a dust environment explosion-proof inspection robot. The dust environment explosion-proof inspection robot is equipped with a dust concentration sensor, an infrared thermal imager and an explosion-proof camera device, and is used for autonomous walking inspection in areas with high dust concentration.

9. A method for operating a semi-fixed deep-sea integrated mining and processing platform system, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The main body of the mining and beneficiation platform is placed in the center of the seabed ore body as the main port for mining and beneficiation operations. The main body of the mining and beneficiation platform is vertically divided into a lower pre-selection and tailings cementation layer, a middle fine beneficiation and dewatering layer, and an upper concentrate storage and transportation layer. Multiple intelligent mining vehicles leave the main platform and go to their respective work areas. They automatically switch the type of collector to collect ore based on the real-time identification of the mineral type and grade, and return to the main mining and beneficiation platform after the storage and transportation are fully loaded. After the intelligent mining vehicle enters the water inlet and outlet drainage chamber of the main body of the platform to drain water, it unloads the ore. The ore is then crushed and screened in the lower layer and pre-selected. The useful minerals are then lifted to the middle layer for grinding, classification, slurry preparation and reagent addition, flotation and magnetic separation and dewatering. The resulting concentrate filter cake is then sent to the upper layer for classified storage. The tailings from the mineral processing are returned to the lower layer, mixed with cementitious materials, and pressed into high-density blocks, which are then backfilled into the mined-out area at designated locations; the concentrate is metered and then transported to the sea surface via either pneumatic or hydraulic lifting. Layered maintenance robots perform inspections, fault diagnosis, and maintenance on equipment at each layer, ensuring the platform's long-term stable operation. The main body of the mining and beneficiation platform operates stably in a mining site for a long period of time. After the ore in that area is mined and beneficiated, it is moved to the center of the next ore body to realize the continuous development of multiple mining areas.

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