Chinese scientists have announced the discovery of a significant underwater mineral deposit in the western Pacific, noted for its high concentrations of gold and silver. This finding was revealed by CCTV and resulted from a collaborative expedition involving several academic institutions.
The deposit is located in a hydrothermal field where mineral-rich, hot water expels from the ocean floor. Researchers noted that silver levels can surpass 1 kg per tonne of ore, exceeding typical land-based deposits in richness. Song Shiji, vice-dean at Tsinghua University, highlighted the area’s substantial exploitation potential.
The expedition, which set sail from Shenzhen on August 10 aboard the Xiang Yang Hong 10, included participants from the Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The discovered precious metals, categorized as “hydrothermal sulphide” ores, accumulate when superheated metal-rich water meets cold seawater, leading to the formation of solid minerals.
