The Indian Ocean mineral exploration push, Pg14.

Key Highlights:

• India secured a contract with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for exclusive rights to explore Polymetallic Sulphides (PMS) in the Carlsberg Ridge in the Indian Ocean.
• India is the first country with two ISA contracts for PMS exploration, holding the largest allocated area in the international seabed.
• The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) will conduct the PMS exploration in 2026, starting with surveys.
• The ISA allotted India a 10,000 square km area in the Carlsberg Ridge after India's application in 2024.

Detailed Insights:

• Polymetallic Sulphides are deposits rich in metals like copper, zinc, lead, gold, and silver, crucial for high-tech, renewable energy, and green technologies.
• Exploring PMS enhances India's resource security due to limited land resources; these deposits are found near hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor.
• Since 2016, NCPOR has conducted exploratory surveys along the central and southwest Indian Ocean ridges, developing expertise and infrastructure.
• The ongoing Deep Ocean Mission has enhanced capabilities with new deep-sea vessels and tools like Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs).
• The Carlsberg Ridge, a major segment of the mid-ocean ridge system, is strategically important due to its proximity to India.
• ISA allocates sites for mineral exploration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) framework.
• India aims to acquire more sites in the Indian Ocean for mineral exploration as part of the Blue Economy initiatives, focusing on cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Polymetallic Sulphides (PMS): Deposits on the ocean floor containing valuable metals like copper, zinc, and gold.
• International Seabed Authority (ISA): An international organization that allocates sites for mineral exploration in international waters.
• Blue Economy: Sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystem.