Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements:
The Global Ocean Commission grants licences for seabed exploration and mining in international waters.
India has received licences for seabed mineral exploration in international waters.
‘Rare earth minerals’ are present on the seafloor in international waters.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
1 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Global Ocean Commission was not the regulatory authority responsible for granting licences for seabed mineral exploration or mining. It was an independent international initiative established in 2013 to draw attention to the degradation of the high seas and recommend improvements in ocean governance.
The institution responsible for organising and controlling mineral-resource-related activities in the international seabed beyond national jurisdiction is the International Seabed Authority (ISA). It was established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea—UNCLOS.
Statement 2 is correct: India obtained a contract from the ISA for the exploration of polymetallic nodules in the Central Indian Ocean Basin. The initial exploration contract was signed on 25 March 2002. It was extended for five years in 2017 and again for five years in 2022. India also holds another contract for the exploration of polymetallic sulphides in the Indian Ocean Ridge.
Polymetallic nodules are potato-shaped mineral deposits found on the seabed. They consist mainly of manganese and iron and contain economically important quantities of nickel, copper and cobalt.
Statement 3 is correct: Rare earth elements are also present in polymetallic nodules and other marine deposits occurring on the deep seabed in international waters. According to the ISA, interest in mining polymetallic nodules has grown because they contain rare earth elements in addition to nickel, copper, cobalt and manganese.