{"id":12450,"date":"2021-08-11T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-11T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/11-08-2021\/deep-ocean-mission-3\/"},"modified":"2025-07-25T16:18:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T10:48:09","slug":"deep-ocean-mission-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/11-08-2021\/deep-ocean-mission-3","title":{"rendered":"Deep Ocean Mission"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-873ffcac17312d622aaad4a62cf4861e\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>In News&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Recently, the government has approved the Deep<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> Ocean Mission (DOM)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to be implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is expected to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>cost Rs. 4,077 crores<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> over the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>next five years<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> during the period 2021-2026.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The estimated cost for the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> first phase of three years<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (2021-2024) would be <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Rs. 2,823.4 crore<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7f822d21b99513304d05bf1b57af8e21\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>About the Mission<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> development of the mission<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> has been going on since <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>2018<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Aim: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">to study biodiversity, the impact of climate change, and establish an offshore marine station to explore sources of thermal energy.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">India has been allotted a site of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>75,000 square kilometres<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Central Indian Ocean Basin<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (CIOB) by the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>International Seabed Authority<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (ISA) for the exploitation of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Polymetallic Nodules<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (PMN).<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Ministry of Earth Sciences is carrying out exploration activities for Poly-metallic Nodules (PMN) in the CIOB and for <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Poly-metallic <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Sulphides (PMS) in parts of<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> Central and South-West Indian ridges.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>India was the first country<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to receive the status of a \u2018<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Pioneer Investor<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u2019 in <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>1987 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">and was given an area of about 1.5 lakh sq km in the CIOB for nodule exploration.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>2002<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>India signed a contract with the ISA<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and after complete resource analysis of the seabed 50 per cent was surrendered and the country retained an area of<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> 75,000 sq km.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Private institution<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">s will be included in the development of<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> technologie<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">s for this mission to explore the possibilities of mining, biodiversity, energy, freshwater etc. in the deep ocean and to support the &#8216;blue economy&#8217;.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/SDegTrdWcz3v_7TDJ4MooNqX59OwUdKXdJ7RCMjZZ2Md1DxsH76uEIRrZL6jZYgjwy23PJgtCOCJLNME3qNOTPJex4GkpBY5FfQaegyNgymlNmSQlZJbEph76Jo8WExh_-Zkign5\" alt=\"Deep Ocean Mission\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(Image Courtesy: <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/science\/why-is-india-pulled-to-deep-sea-mining\/article28809029.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><u>TH<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a14cd1c9853620a1bdb3a58a1c935fe4\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>Six Components<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Manned Submersible and Integrated Mining System<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Under it , a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>manned submersible<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> will be developed to carry <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>three people to a depth of 6,000 metres<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in the ocean with a suite of scientific sensors and tools.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">If this works, India would be among a handful of countries able to launch an underwater mission at such depths.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Currently<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, such technology and expertise are <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>now available in countries<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> namely, the US, Russia, France, Japan and China.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">An <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Integrated Mining System<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> will be also developed for mining <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>PMN<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> at those depths in the central Indian Ocean.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Ocean Climate Change Advisory Services<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It involves developing Ocean Climate Change Advisory Services, which entails developing a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>suite of observations and models to understand and provide future projections<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> of important climate variables on seasonal to decadal time scales.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Deep-Sea Flora and Fauna<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is searching for deep-sea flora and fauna, including <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>microbes <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>studying ways to sustainably utilise<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> them.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Sources of Hydrothermal Minerals&nbsp;<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It aims to<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> explore and identify potential sources of hydrothermal minerals<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> that are sources of precious metals formed from the earth\u2019s crust along the Indian Ocean mid-oceanic ridges.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>OTEC Powered Desalination Plants<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It involves studying and preparing<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> detailed engineering designs<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> for offshore <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (OTEC) powered desalination plants.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Ocean Biology and Engineering Experts<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is aimed at grooming experts in the field of ocean biology and engineering. This component aims to<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> translate research into industrial applications and product development<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> through on-site business incubator facilities.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-0444e0c206815363c0792c3e3bcfc506\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>Significance<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It will pave the way for further <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>studies and research into deep-sea biodiversity<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">As the ocean will be monitored continuously, every slight <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>change in climate will be noted<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, leading to better data collections and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>hence improved actions<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The exploration studies of minerals will <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>pave the way for commercial exploitation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in the near future, as and when commercial exploitation code is evolved by the ISA.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is envisaged that <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>10 per cent of recovery of that large reserve<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> can meet the energy requirement of India for the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>next 100 years<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It has been estimated that <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>380 million metric tonnes of PMN are available<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> at the bottom of the seas in the Central Indian Ocean.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a97086b64e4d058818cb349fb335482a\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>Concerns&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Disruption for ecological balance&nbsp;<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The deep ocean is <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>home to unique species<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> that have adapted themselves to conditions such as<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> less oxygen, poor or no sunlight, high pressure and extremely low temperatures<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Mining <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">in the deep ocean can lead to a<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> disrupted ecological balance <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">for these species or <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>even extinction<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> if done unregulated.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Threats of oil and chemical spills<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">There are<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> threats of oil and chemical spills<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> from the vessels operating at the site and also the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>water, sound and light pollution<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> hampering the natural life of the deep-sea fauna.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Difficulty in <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">carrying out the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Environmental Impact Assessment&nbsp;<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Since the biodiversity of the deep sea remains <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>partially or completely unknown and very less understood<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, it is <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>difficult <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">to carry out the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Environmental Impact Assessment <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(EIA) and frame appropriate guidelines.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Concerns regarding the sediment plumes<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">There have been <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>concerns regarding the sediment plumes<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> that will be generated as the suspended particles can rise to the surface harming the filter feeders in the upper ocean layers.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a77b96ad2d0bdbccca9759fda83e561b\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>Suggestions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Although <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>strict guidelines <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">have been framed, they need <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>better and stricter enforcement<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.&nbsp; A new set of exploitation guidelines are being worked out and discussions are on with the ISA.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>More research and development in the area is needed<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to understand how the technology can be scaled up and used efficiently.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-dcfd46a9af4866bd684737e0babf6348\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>Deep Ocean<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is that part of the ocean which is<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> dark, cold, food-poor, subject to intense pressure, and typically deeper than 200 meters<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is generally <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>defined as the depth at which light begins to dwindle<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, typically around 200 meters (656 feet).<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> top 200 meters <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">of the ocean are known as the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Sunlight or Euphotic Zone<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">. Plants, who convert the sun\u2019s energy into food via photosynthesis, form the basis of the food chain at these depths, where there is indeed sunlight.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">At <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>200 meters<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> depth, the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Twilight Zone<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> begins, where light starts to decrease rapidly.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Ocean depths<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> greater than 1,000 meters<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (3,280 feet) are completely <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>devoid of light <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">and photosynthesis does not take place.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In the absence of proper sunlight, the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>deep ocean is cold<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, with an <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>average temperature of only 4\u00b0C<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (39\u00b0F).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">These depths are also subject to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>extreme pressure<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, from about 40 to over 110 times the pressure of Earth\u2019s atmosphere.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Despite these extreme conditions,<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> life has found a way to thrive even at great ocean depths<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, and with each new mission to explore the deep, scientists keep making new discoveries that increase the understanding of the planet and its systems.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/FFWX1VdQ_lRdlVfwN8CPOJdXiEDgcmcJWbTocTg1vgY7YMtOllKG4PgA5g_ivZF4-peU43j756vuViMS_t4hcV0TEp_AKSr_l7Pfa0oQ80_Vv0wNzgOOkbFfs8fM64N6IQprjems\" alt=\"Deep Ocean\" style=\"width:675px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(Image Courtesy: <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/oceanexplorer.noaa.gov\/okeanos\/explorations\/ex1705\/logs\/apr30\/welcome.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><u>NOAA<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 624px;\" cellspacing=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color: #fff2cc; vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>International Seabed Authority<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Created in 1994, it is an <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>autonomous international organisation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> established under the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>1982 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><strong><u>United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (UNCLOS) and the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>1994 Agreement <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">relating to the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> Implementation of Part XI<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> of the UNCLOS.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Mandate:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> To ensure the effective protection of the marine environment from harmful effects that may arise from deep-seabed related activities.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">States Parties to UNCLOS organize and control all mineral-resources-related activities through ISA.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In accordance with <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Article 156 (2) of UNCLOS<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, all <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>States Parties to UNCLOS are ipso facto members of ISA<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">As of May 2020, ISA has <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>168 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">members.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>India <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">is also a member.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Headquarters:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Kingston, Jamaica.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Area<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and its resources are the common heritage of mankind. The <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Area covers around 54 per cent of the total area of the world\u2019s oceans<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"height: 276px; width: 610px;\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/DuM9LZ04rVlhGPtB3NRkq_LS9xFABSXsDuCbYWV1JJj0IsrrIVU24WauSIqSXJY7xZlvwdhCFrvF-WDISJyxEswZGyLxadClEZpl7SmfkcnvTg6VvWYW5NolcRloZkQb5URhV0ki\"><\/figure><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(Image Courtesy: <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.isa.org.jm\/media\/image\/450\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><u>ISA<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Polymetallic Nodules<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">PMN (also known as <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>manganese nodules<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">) are <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>potato-shaped, largely porous nodules<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> found in abundance <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>carpeting the seafloor<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> of world oceans in the deep sea.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Composition: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Besides manganese and iron, they contain nickel, copper, cobalt, lead, molybdenum, cadmium, vanadium, titanium, of which nickel, cobalt and copper are considered to be of economic and strategic importance.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">They lie scattered on the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Indian Ocean floor at depths of about 6,000 m<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and the size can vary from a few millimetres to centimetres.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Metals can be extracted and used<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in electronic devices, smartphones, batteries and even for solar panels.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Apart from the CIOB, PMNs have been<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> identified from the central Pacific Ocean<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, in the area known as the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Clarion-Clipperton Zone<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>ISA has entered into contracts<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> for exploration for PMNs, polymetallic sulphides and cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts in the deep seabed with <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>29 contractors<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">China, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Russia and also some small islands such as the Cook Islands, Kiribati have joined the race for deep-sea mining.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"height: 343px; width: 459px;\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/ggtslh4lJa8EDUmDfpQm1mlCHJ6yfBms50k5HAgWyKeXwc2pI32CYdkrKXxH9nYenbky2F9E-_0A9yCiXIa0Nz8UCY-PBerYofrcTgMGCRTeKurpI2uX3Zqb_c0GhvooTkk0Xr7u\"><\/figure><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(Image Courtesy: <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/dsmobserver.com\/2020\/01\/polymetallic-nodules-stay-out-of-the-mud-with-a-little-help-from-benthic-burrowers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><u>DSMO<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Source:<\/span><\/span><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1744421\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><u> PIB<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Recently, the government has approved the Deep Ocean Mission (DOM) to be implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences..<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[61,26,42],"class_list":["post-12450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs","tag-environmental-impact-assessment","tag-gs-3","tag-literature"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12450","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12450"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12450\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26690,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12450\/revisions\/26690"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12450"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12450"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12450"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}