Dataset for the Map of Critical Raw Materials Offshore Occurrences and Deposits of Europe 2024

The map shows the Critical Raw Materials (CRM) occurrences and deposits associated with the different marine minerals of the European seas, based on the 2023 CRM list of the European Commission. The dataset was compiled in 2024 with contributions from national and regional Geological Survey Organisations as part of the EU-funded Geological Service for Europe (GSEU) project. The initiative aims to provide harmonized geoscientific data across Europe. Offshore minerals are represented by cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts, polymetallic nodules, seafloor massive sulphides and hydrothermal mineralization, phosphorites and marine placers. The nature of these minerals is in most of the cases polymetallic with enrichments in several CRM. Mineral deposits, based on preliminary studies, are sized (super large, large, medium and small) according to their total endowment – estimated by the sum of cumulated resources (a concentration or occurrence of material of economic interest in such form, grade or quality and quantity that there are reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction) and reserves (the economically mineable part of a mineral resource) for the commodity concerned. Note that this dataset constitutes a geological assessment of the main CRM occurrences and deposits in European seas. It does not consider any aspect associated with infrastructure, mining, metallurgy, processing, transport of ore, and ignores socio-economic and environmental conditions. Most importantly, the presence of a mineralization and the identification of a mineral deposit do not warrant its extractability in the future.本地图基于欧盟委员会2023年关键原材料（Critical Raw Materials, CRM）名录，展示了欧洲海域各类海洋矿物相关的关键矿产产出点与矿床。本数据集于2024年编制完成，由欧盟资助的欧洲地质服务（Geological Service for Europe, GSEU）项目下的各国及地区地质调查机构参与贡献。本项目旨在为全欧洲提供统一协调的地球科学数据。近海矿物涵盖富钴铁锰结壳、多金属结核、海底块状硫化物与热液矿化作用、磷灰岩及海洋砂矿。此类矿物大多为多金属属性，富集多种关键原材料。基于初步研究，矿床根据其总资源量——由相关矿种的累计资源量（即以某种形态、品位/质量及数量存在的具有经济价值的物质聚集或产出点，具备最终经济开采的合理前景）与储量（即矿产资源中可经济开采的部分）之和估算——划分为超大型、大型、中型与小型四类。请注意，本数据集仅针对欧洲海域内主要关键矿产产出点与矿床开展地质评估。其未纳入任何与基础设施、采矿、冶金、选矿、矿石运输相关的维度，且未考虑社会经济与环境条件。尤为重要的是，矿化作用的存在与矿床的识别，并不代表其未来具备可开采性。