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India Secures Rights for Polymetallic Sulphide Exploration
What’s the News?
- India signed a 15-year contract with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to get exclusive rights to explore polymetallic sulphides (PMS) in the Carlsberg Ridge of the Indian Ocean.
- Under this contract India becomes the first ISA member to have two PMS exploration contracts.
Exploring Polymetallic Sulphides (PMS)
- What are PMS?: Polymetallic Sulphides are mineral deposits formed by hydrothermal activity on the seafloor, commonly known as "black smokers." They are mounds of metallic sulphides precipitated from hot, mineral-rich fluids emanating from volcanic vents.
- Composition: These deposits are rich in valuable metals such as copper, zinc, lead, gold, and silver.
- Strategic Importance:
- The metals found in PMS are crucial for developing renewable energy technologies like batteries, wind turbines, and solar panels.
- This exploration aligns with India's economic growth objectives and its transition towards a green energy future.
- The initiative is a key component of India's ambitious Deep Ocean Mission.
Additional Info
- International Seabed Authority (ISA):
- An autonomous international body established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982.
- Headquarters: Kingston, Jamaica.
- Mandate: To regulate and control all mineral-related activities in the international seabed area (the Area), which lies beyond national jurisdiction, for the benefit of all humanity.
- India's Deep-Sea Exploration Status:
- India was the first country to be designated a "Pioneer Investor" in 1987, granting it exclusive rights to explore the seabed.
- Besides PMS, India holds exploration rights for:
- Polymetallic Nodules (PMN): In the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB).
- Cobalt-rich Ferromanganese Crusts: In the Afanasy Nikitin Seamount region of the Indian Ocean.
- Deep Ocean Mission (DOM):
- A mission mode project of the Ministry of Earth Sciences to explore deep ocean resources and develop deep-sea technologies.
- It includes the Samudrayaan Mission, which aims to send a manned submersible, 'MATSYA 6000', to a depth of 6,000 metres for deep-sea exploration.