The country plans to conduct deep-sea geological exploration in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, an underwater plateau between Hawaii and Mexico
LONDON, July 22. /TASS/. India will submit an application to the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for licenses to explore for ferromanganese deposits in the Pacific Ocean, Reuters reported, citing the Indian Ministry of Land Studies.
According to the ministry, India plans to conduct deep-sea geological exploration in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, an underwater plateau between Hawaii and Mexico, where large volumes of polymetallic nodules containing manganese, nickel, copper and cobalt are located. After completing the exploration of natural resources, India will need three to four years to master the technology of extracting metals from the ocean floor.
In May, India applied for new licenses to explore for cobalt and manganese deposits on the bottom of the Indian Ocean. Geological exploration is planned in the areas of the underwater Carlsberg Ridge in the northwest Indian Ocean and Mount Afanasy Nikitin. Cobalt and manganese are used to produce batteries for electric vehicles and solar panels.
Currently, India has two ISA licenses to search for polymetallic ores on the bottom of the Indian Ocean in its central part at a distance of about 6 thousand km from the Indian coast and in the area of the island of Mauritius. The total area of these sections of the ocean floor is 75 thousand km, on 18 thousand km of which India is conducting test mining of metals. The validity of these licenses expires in 2027 and 2031.
India is heavily dependent on imports of cobalt and other rare metals from the UK, China and Norway. The discovery and use of deposits of these minerals on the bottom of the Indian and Pacific Oceans will be crucial to reducing India’s dependence on imported supplies, local media note .