India a pioneer in technology for deep-sea explorations

GS-I | Geography


Why in the news?

The International Seabed Authority (ISA) is setting to frame a code to regulate seabed mining in the international waters for commercial purposes.

What is deep-sea mining?

An investigation and description of the ocean waters and the seafloor and of the Earth beneath, and exploitation of non-living resources for scientific or commercial purposes.

Why are deep-sea explorations important?

1.     The seabed is rich in rare earth materials such as polymetallic nodules, Cobalt, Nickel, copper, Lithium, gold, Platinum and other sought-after minerals

2.      These minerals are significant for

a.      Combating Climate change

b.      Promoting production of electric vehicles, thus helping to meet clean energy demands.


India's Current status in Deep-sea exploration:

India has an estimated 380 million metric tonnes (MMT) of poly-metallic nodules present in the seabed, in the area allocated to India.

 

1.       Has a dedicated policy initiative: Deep Ocean Mission focused on India's Exclusive Economic Zones and Continental shelf- Led by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
The themes include,

a.      Development of Technology for deep sea mining, Manned submersibles and underwater robotics

b.      Development of ocean and climate change advisory services

c.       Technology innovations for exploitation and conservation of deep-sea biodiversity

d.      Deep ocean survey and exploration

e.      energy and fresh water from the ocean

f.        advanced Marine session for Ocean biology

 

2.      India has developed an advanced Technology called VARAH-1 A self-propelled deep sea mining machine.

a.      It operates by collection and pumping of nodules, steadily and continuously over prolonged durations, in deep-sea conditions up to 6,000m.

3.      India has currently engaged in two places for exploration

a.      Central Mid-oceanic Ridge - exploring Hydrothermal sulfide deposits that contain multi-minerals like gold and platinum.

b.      Central Indian Ocean - Exploring Poly-metallic nodules.

4.      India has also allowed Private mining in the region

 

What are the challenges in framing a regulatory code by the ISA?

Environmental concerns put forth includes,

1.       Seabed mining threatens the marine ecosystems and the environment.

a.      Polymetallic nodules being critical for food-web integrity, their absence may reduce local benthic biodiversity.

b.      The sediments released into the water after mining processes can affect the photic zone organisms, thus hampering photosynthesis due to restriction of sunlight at different depths.

c.       Can cause noise pollution to the organisms in the marine environment.

2.      Can cause irreversible damage because of impacts of mining.

3.      The process may decrease the ocean's carbon sequestration capacity to a considerable level.

 

The International Seabed Authority (ISA)

1.       An autonomous international organization established in1982

2.      Established under United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

3.      All member states of UNCLOS are members of ISA.

4.      Currently, ISA has 169 Members, including 168 Member States and the European Union.

5.      ISA's prime role is to organize and control all mineral-resources-related activities in the 'Area for the benefit of humankind as a whole' and The Area covers around 54 per cent of the total area of the world’s oceans.

6.      It also provides effective protection of marine environment from harmful effects that may arise from deep-seabed-related activities.
Regulations framed by ISA

  1. Exploration regulations

·         polymetallic nodules (2000 and revised in 2013)

·         polymetallic sulphides (2010)

·         cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts (2012).

  1. Exploitation regulations - under consideration

·         Aims to balance economic needs with rigorous environmental protection.

·         Transparent process and broad public consultations. are being adopted to frame draft regulations & approval by the Council has to be gained for mineral exploitation in the deep-sea area.

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