I. Introduction
Located in the subequatorial region in the northeast of the Pacific Ocean, the Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCFZ) is a submarine region spanning between 5 N to 20 N and 120 W to 160 W. The prevalence of polymetallic nodules (PMN) in high abundance on the abyssal seabed of the CCFZ is well-documented [1]–[3]. These potato-sized concretions may come in several shapes such as spherical, discoidal, or irregular. They are formed around the nuclei found in indurated sediments through diagenetic and/or hydrogenous growth [4]. It is estimated that the CCFZ holds 21 billion tons of PMN which represents the world's largest concentration [3]. These PMN can be quantified from seabed photographs and/or core sampling as past explorations have found that PMN reside mostly on or just beneath the surface of the abyssal seabed [4].