The position is for a three years period, financed by the Norwegian Research Council and the industry involved in the MarMine project. The candidate will spend time both at NTNU and at University of Agder and is expected to cooperate tightly with the consortium partners in the MarMine project.
The PhD project will focus on technological aspects related to the marine mineral extraction on the deep ocean floor. Given deposit descriptions in terms of size geometry, mechanical properties and mineralogy, the successful candidate is expected to review and assess possible extraction methods and to document the technical and the economic feasibility of a smaller selection of these methods.
This will involve a holistic approach to the mining system, a focus on selection of mining equipment and technology involved. Based on these results, the candidate should define and describe a future pilot-plant setup including a monitoring scheme deemed necessary to reduce the associated uncertainties.
Technology areas will be within mechanical engineering, mechatronics and automation, focused on topside and subsea technologies, riser systems and loading/handling solutions with heave compensation. Subsea monitoring and communication could also be focus areas.
