India has signed a 15-year contract with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for exploration of polymetallic sulphides (PMS) in the Carlsberg Ridge.
This is India’s third exploration contract with ISA and second for PMS.
The Carlsberg Ridge lies in the Arabian Sea and spans an area of 3,00,000 square kilometres.
It forms a tectonic boundary between the Indian and Arabian plates and extends to the Owen fracture zone.
This is the first global licence granted for PMS exploration in the Carlsberg Ridge.
PMS are ocean-floor deposits rich in copper, zinc, gold, and silver, formed by hydrothermal activity.