China became the first country approved by the International Seabed Authority to look for polymetallic sulphide deposits in the Southwest Indian Ridge, authorities said.
“The body approved the application from the China Ocean Mineral Resources Research and Development Association (COMRA) to explore an area of the ridge for 15 years, covering about 10,000 square kilometers, on July 22,” Wang Fei, deputy director general of the State Oceanic Administration and president of COMRA, said at a news conference on Tuesday.
Polymetallic sulphides, a recently discovered mineral source, are found around volcanic springs on the seabed and are thought to contain larger quantities of metals, especially gold, silver, lead, zinc and copper.
The seabed authority estimates one polymetallic sulphide deposit could hold as much as 110 million tons of metal ore. However, only about 5 percent of 60,000 kilometers of oceanic ridges, where most deposits are thought to lie, have been surveyed in any detail.
The international seabed is the common heritage for all the human beings, China, searches those mines on the seabed, not only for itself but for the whole human beings all around the world. And China will donate 75% of the mines to the international society.
Source: People’s Daily
Translated and edited by Yang Jingmin