Chinese Scientists Discover Rich Underwater Gold and Silver Deposits
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Chinese Scientists Discover Rich Underwater Gold and Silver Deposits
- Chinese scientists have reported the discovery of a significant underwater mineral deposit in the western Pacific, with preliminary analyses indicating gold concentrations up to 15.4 grams per tonne of ore and silver content reaching 1.27 kilograms per tonne.
- This discovery was made during an 18-day joint scientific expedition that set sail from Shenzhen on August 10 aboard the research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 10.
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Chinese scientists have announced the discovery of a substantial underwater mineral deposit in the western Pacific Ocean, characterized by exceptionally high concentrations of gold and silver. The expedition, a collaborative effort involving several Chinese academic institutions including Tsinghua University, the Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, found these precious metals in a sprawling, high-temperature hydrothermal field.
The ores, described as “hydrothermal sulfide” deposits, form when super-hot, metal-rich water shoots out from the seabed and rapidly cools upon contact with near-freezing seawater. This process causes metals to bind with sulfur, precipitating as solid sulfide minerals that often contain copper, zinc, lead, and notably, gold and silver. Preliminary laboratory analyses of samples revealed gold concentrations as high as 15.4 grams per tonne of ore, with silver content reaching up to 1.27 kilograms per tonne. These concentrations are reported to be significantly higher than those typically found in terrestrial deposits.
The expedition, which departed from Shenzhen on August 10 aboard the Xiang Yang Hong 10 research vessel, lasted 18 days and included seven deep-submergence dives. Song Shiji, vice-dean of the Institute for Ocean Engineering at Tsinghua University and a lead scientist on the project, emphasized the “extremely high exploitation value” of this large seabed mining area. The newly identified hydrothermal sulfide deposit consists of three large cone-shaped mineral structures. While the precise coordinates were not disclosed, state media reported the deposit is located in a “back-arc basin in the western Pacific” within China’s exclusive economic zone. Researchers also noted the presence of unique biological communities adapted to the extreme deep-sea environment, adding scientific significance beyond the mineral potential. Despite the promising discovery, commercial extraction is not immediately feasible due to the extreme pressure and complex conditions at such depths.