India will soon start exploration of mineral deposits, mainly poly metallic sulphides, along the 10,000 square kilometre mid-ocean ridge off Mauritius, following approval from the International Seabed Authority (ISA).
S Rajan, director of National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR) said here today the exploration activity would actually begin after the Government of India signs a 15-year contract with the ISA within a year.
"We will be exploring hydro-thermal activities and possible sulphide deposits, which have huge economic potential," said Rajan.
The exploration is expected to lead to vast deposits of lead, zinc and copper, ranging from several thousand tonnes to about 100 million tonnes. It involves mixing hydrothermal fluids with the surrounding cold sea water, which leads to their precipitation onto the chimney vents and thereby the formation of massive deposits of lead, zinc and copper.
He also noted the ministry had given a submission to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS), seeking to extend India's continental shelf limit to 350 nautical miles from the present 200 nautical miles. This, he said, would allow the country to widen its area of exploration of large-scale mineral deposits.
National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) director MA Atmanand said the institute had taken up a number of projects for the benefit of society, including beach restoration, weather forecast, tsunami warning, desalination and generation of renewable energy.
S Rajan, director of National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR) said here today the exploration activity would actually begin after the Government of India signs a 15-year contract with the ISA within a year.
"We will be exploring hydro-thermal activities and possible sulphide deposits, which have huge economic potential," said Rajan.
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An application for Deep Sea Mining Exploration Licence was lodged with the ISA by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in April 2013 and the approval for the plan of work for exploration was given in July 2014. The project would be implemented in three phases from the date of agreement, he added.
The exploration is expected to lead to vast deposits of lead, zinc and copper, ranging from several thousand tonnes to about 100 million tonnes. It involves mixing hydrothermal fluids with the surrounding cold sea water, which leads to their precipitation onto the chimney vents and thereby the formation of massive deposits of lead, zinc and copper.
He also noted the ministry had given a submission to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS), seeking to extend India's continental shelf limit to 350 nautical miles from the present 200 nautical miles. This, he said, would allow the country to widen its area of exploration of large-scale mineral deposits.
National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) director MA Atmanand said the institute had taken up a number of projects for the benefit of society, including beach restoration, weather forecast, tsunami warning, desalination and generation of renewable energy.