Introduction
India is keen on seeking permission from UN backed ISA to help acquire licenses to mine deep sea minerals in the CCZ region in Pacific Ocean. It could have this value in probing India to be able to obtain crucial resources of green energy, technology and growth. Now let’s further discuss about the importance of this particular zone, what is in stored for us through this deep-sea mining and all about India and deep sea mining.
What is the Clarion-Clipperton Zone?
The Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) is aMidwater and is a flat area that spreads for approximately 4. Five million square kilometers from Hawaii to Mexico deep from the sea to space. Intensive occurrence of polymetallic nodules accumulating copper, cobalt, nickel and manganese here makes it a target for resource rich zones. Discov- ered by the Brit- ish sailors in 1873, Subi- reef has gradu- ally turned to a strategic point for explo- ration of resources.
Who Owns the Clarion-Clipperton Zone?
On the basis of distribution of the Cordillera zone protesters, the Clarion-Clipperton Zone is governanced. The CCZ is governed by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) with the support from the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). This region doesn’t belong to a particular country, and as such is an internationalized area in which countries and corporations can file for licenses to explore and mine.
Clarion-Clipperton Zone Minerals
The Clarion-Clipperton Zone is well-known for the presence of mass Polymetallic nodules containing metals including manganese, nickel, copper, cobalt and rare earth elements. These metals are used in the modern economy and the future technologies of renewable energy and electric vehicles among others. India’s search for such resources is to be part of it’s diversification strategy so as to avoid being overly dependent on imports and fluctuations in supply of such critical minerals.
Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean
Situated in the middle of the tropical pacific ocean the Ccz covers a large expanse of the deep seabed that contains polymetallic deposits. Extending for 7,240km from East to West it has other geographical features like ridges and troughs hence it has unique environment.
Clarion-Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean
The area one is most likely to come across represents a vast area that measures millions of square kilometers in the Pacific Ocean between Mexico and Hawaii known as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. This is a very large area that is not only endowed with mineral deposits for mining but with so many ecosystems that call for adequate environmentally sustainable practices.
Clarion-Clipperton Zone ISA
The International Seabed Authority (ISA) has the mandate of overseeing activities in the area of the CCZ. India and other countries along with mining companies have to apply for exploration and mining licenses to the ISA. The ISA also define Areas of Particular Environmental Interest (APEIs) in order to safeguard the marine bio diversity in the region.
Clarion-Clipperton Zone Mexico
Mexico is one of the major stakeholders of the plate tectonics in Clarion-Clipperton Zone. The country has stakes in exploration and possible mining thus taking account on its closeness to the zone and its bad profits per ha from deep-sea mineral resources.
Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the Pacific
The CCZ of the Pacific Ocean is remarkable important from the global point of view due to the presence of abundance of mineral resources. This zone provides tactical benefits to countries including India which targets to obtain resources for green energy technologies and minimize on their import dependencies.
Clarion-Clipperton Zone Dark Oxygen
Another research article that was done also in 2020 and published in Nature Geoscience was on dark oxygen in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. In today’s world, the vision of extracting them has become possible where oxygen is being released from metallic nodules at 4,000 meters depth facilitating the splitting of water molecules with oxygen, hydrogen, and without sunlight. This interesting finding alters the current knowledge of oxygen generation in the deep sea areas.
Animals in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone
The fauna of the CCZ includes sea cucumbers, glass sponges and numerous species of fishes and invertebrates. CCZ species are frequently newly described taxa and are adapted to the specific deep-sea environments exhibited in this region which underlines the significance of sustainable approach to environmental practices in the course of mining.
Clarion-Clipperton Zone Mining Companies
Most of the mining corporations from different countries can now work in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone as the exploration rights in the area have been granted. It is worth noting that these companies are engineering enhanced methods and equipment for mining of polymetallic nodules from the ocean floor, and though deploying such assets in India may not at once be economically feasible, resource-endowed states can relay on such vehicles for future prosperity.
Clipperton-Clarion Fracture Zone in the Pacific Ocean: Geological Features
The Clipperton-Clarion Fracture Zone is one of the numerous sub-linear geological submarine features in the C-C zone. Most of these fracture zones contribute to the structural framework of the region, as well as contributing to the formation of the mineral rich seafloor.
Clarion-Clipperton Zone Area
Covering approximately 4. 5 million square kilometers the Clarion-Clipperton Zone area stands for one of the biggest identified underwater mineral resources containing. These resources are proving attractive to countries and companies due to increasing global demands of crucial metals.
Clarion-Clipperton Zone Glass Sponge
With the help of further research it is possible to explore unique creatures such as the glass sponge that is living in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. This species of sponges is also found in this mineral rich ocean floor and thus the importance of conservation of these species by cautious exploration.
Conclusion
Exploration of Indian Ocean in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone can be an opportunity for economic growth and resource security besides strengthening the geopolitical might. But it has the proportion of being preserve oriented to the environmental factors of its operations and conformant to the standards of the global market. Thus, deep-sea mining results in the enhancement of India’s stand in the global minerals market alongside the achievement of the country’s green energy objectives.