China Set Out Its First Deep-Sea Manned Submersible for Hunting Indian Ocean Minerals

China, after securing a historic deal with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for the exclusive copyright of exploring the valuable sulfide minerals under the Indian Ocean, on Monday has taken a significant step forward for the mission. Chinese Scientists on Monday has set out country’s first submarine investigative drone, called ‘Jiaolong’ for hunting the minerals under the Indian Ocean. With the deployment of this longest-ever exploratory mission for the much sought-after mineral laying in the Indian Ocean, China has marked its 38th Ocean exploration trip and its first deep-sea manned operation.

As per the official reports, the Indian Ocean hosts a large amount of valuable minerals and advantageously momentous Rare Earth Elements (REEs), and hence a number of leading countries including India and China have already shown their interest to carry out investigation projects. However, in 2011, China by signing contract with International Seabed Authority took the lead of the mission and captured the latest lead position in the exploration missions. The mission, which sets off on Monday was the 38th deep-ocean exploration mission of the country.

It was inaugurated from the port of Qingdao and will move ahead to the northwest side of the Indian Ocean. Alongside these regions, the manned submersible will also walk around the South China Sea and the western Pacific Ocean. Currently, India is handling the conduction of the exploration missions for the minerals in the central Indian Ocean.

The latest mission of China is conducted by the highly sophisticated expedition ship ‘Xiangyanghong 09’. On Monday, 6th February 2017, the marine craft ran off from the port city of Qingdao, located in the east Shandong Province. During the next few months of the mission, the submersible Jiaolong will also carry out scientific investigations in the South China Sea, Yap Trench as we as in Mariana Trench.

As per the reports of the state-run news agency of China, Jiaolong is employed for exploring the polymetallic sulfides in a deep-ocean gap, located on the northwest side of Indian Ocean. With the mission, Chinese Government is expected to get a new way for country’s approaching submission to the International Seabed Authority for acquiring the copyrights for mining in that particular area of the seabed.