India to explore Indian Ocean for critical minerals: Jitendra Singh

India aims to explore the Indian Ocean for critical minerals as it seeks to secure supplies essential for several industries, including clean energy, Live Mint has reported.

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The Live Mint report said: The country aims to conduct scientific survey and exploration activities within the 75,000 square km region in the Central Indian Ocean Basin for polymetallic nodules (PMN) and the 10,000 square km area in the Central Indian Ridge and Southwest Indian Ridge for polymetallic sulphides (PMS), Union minister of state for science and technology Jitendra Singh informed the Parliament on Wednesday.

PMN occurs on abyssal plains or vast deep regions of the sea floor and contains metals like nickel, copper, cobalt and manganese. PMS are deposits in areas with hydrothermal vents or openings and contain precious metals like copper, zinc, lead, iron and silver.