China Minmetals flags off deep-sea mining voyage
China Minmetals Corp has flagged off its maiden deep-sea venture seeking minerals in the east Pacific Ocean, a company spokesman confirmed.
The 'Xiang Yang Hong 06' survey vessel, with a crew of 26, on Tuesday left Qingdao in China's eastern Shandong province for the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone, where it will search for polymetallic nodules, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The voyage will last more than 90 days, according to the Beijing-based company, which has land resources spanning China, Australia and South America.
A Chinese submersible had discovered polymetallic nodules in the South China Sea in May, Xinhua reported earlier.
Minmetals signed a 15-year exploration contract with Jamaica-based International Seabed Authority in May for a 72,745 square km area of the zone, which stretches from the coast of central America to the centre of the Pacific Ocean.
Polymetallic nodules are rock concretions formed of concentric layers of iron and manganese hydroxides around a core that may be invisible to the naked eye, the International Seabed Authority said on its website.
They can occur at any depth, but the highest concentrations have been found between 4,000 and 6,000, the website added.
China has been sponsoring another contractor for exploring polymetallic nodules in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone since 2001, the association said in May, without identifying the contractor.
source: mining.com
Top News
Six last month
Iran Alloy Steel Company intends to purchase 12 tons of ferrotungsten through public tender
Iron ore price flirts with key $100/t level on firm demand, China stimulus hopes
Gold loses some luster after Trump’s decisive win
Resolute Mining says it will pay Mali $160 million in tax dispute
BHP to spend up to $14 billion on Chilean copper expansion
Newmont sells Ontario gold mine to Orla for $850 million
South Africa police standoff with illegal gold miners escalates
Trump chooses oil fracking boss as energy secretary
BHP warns Australian mining not ready for low-cost competitors
Filo expands copper-gold Aurora zone in Argentina amid sale
Mining’s old guard needs strong medicine
Adani’s Australian coal unit faces human rights complaint
Hedge funds slash bullish wagers on gold before war jitters
Gold price set for biggest weekly jump in 20 months on haven demand
Marimaca Copper eyes ASX dual listing to boost Chile project
Osisko Development surges on permitting milestone for Cariboo gold project
Earth AI, Legacy Minerals make first greenfield palladium discovery using artificial intelligence
Mexico’s proposed higher mining royalties could block nearly $7bn in investments
Sierra Leone woos miners to clean energy with $11 billion plan
Iran Alloy Steel Company intends to purchase 12 tons of ferrotungsten through public tender
Iran Alloy Steel Company intends to purchase 150 tons of Low-Carbon Ferro Manganese through public tender
Filo expands copper-gold Aurora zone in Argentina amid sale
Mining’s old guard needs strong medicine
Adani’s Australian coal unit faces human rights complaint
Gold price set for biggest weekly jump in 20 months on haven demand
Marimaca Copper eyes ASX dual listing to boost Chile project
Osisko Development surges on permitting milestone for Cariboo gold project
Earth AI, Legacy Minerals make first greenfield palladium discovery using artificial intelligence