Why in news
- Ministry of Earth Sciences and NIOT hosted an outreach workshop on deep-sea mining to secure India's supply of critical minerals.
Key terms
Polymetallic Nodules
Rock accretions on the deep ocean floor composed mainly of manganese, iron, nickel, copper, and cobalt.
Polymetallic Sulphides
Mineral deposits formed along mid-ocean ridges containing high concentrations of copper, lead, zinc, gold, and silver.
India's Deep Sea Seabed Rights
- India holds an International Seabed Authority (ISA) exploration contract covering 75,000 sq. km in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB).
- The CIOB region contains an estimated 366 to 380 million tonnes of polymetallic nodules rich in nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese.
- India is also the first country to secure two ISA exploration contracts for polymetallic sulphides, including the Carlsberg Ridge.
Technology and Deep Ocean Mission
- Implemented under the ₹4,077 crore Deep Ocean Mission to develop subsea engineering capabilities.
- National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) successfully demonstrated indigenous subsea mining crawler systems at depths exceeding 5,000 meters in the Indian Ocean.
Why it matters
- Reduces import dependence for critical minerals essential in electric mobility, battery manufacturing, and advanced computing.
- Establishes strategic presence and resource rights in the international seabed area regulated by the UNCLOS framework.
Prelims facts
- ISA grants exploration rights under UNCLOS in international waters beyond national jurisdictions.
- Deep Ocean Mission is coordinated by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Mains discussion
- Importance of blue economy and marine mineral sovereignty for India's clean energy transition.
Source: PIB
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