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374 || AWSAR Awarded Popular Science Stories - 2019
nodule conducted under the project Survey and Exploration of Polymetallic Nodules during March–May 2018 on the Research Vessel RV Sindhu Sadhana. As a team, we did surveying of the mine site and sampled
the surface sediments to cumulatively understand the tonnage of nodules per square of the area.
Apart from sediments and
nodules, the basin warrants
attention to some of the unique
minerals occurring as metals,
metalloids, and zeolites. In
my research work, various
long and short sediment
cores from the CIOB were
examined to understand the hydrothermal and volcanogenic history of the basin. The analysis of the sediments suspected some unusual particles in the 63-μm fraction. These particles were observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and analyzed using SEM– energy-dispersive spectroscopy and electron probe microanalyzer for chemical composition. We later confirmed these particles to be native metals, oxides, sulfides, and metalloids. These metals and metalloids are mainly complexes of barium sulfides, copper sulfides, lead-copper sulfides, zinc–copper complexes, native copper, lead, aluminum, gold, and silver, indicating an in-situ hydrothermal activity in the Indian Ocean. The discovery of these new metals and metalloids was presented at the 106th Indian Science Congress held in January 2019 by me.
Zeolites are another important facet of the basin. Dr Iyer, chief scientist (retired) from CSIR-NIO, reported zeolites (phillipsite) in my study area as single or multiple twinned crystals associated with FeMn nodules. Our present research on deep-sea phillipsite suggests that these are composed of alumino-silicates,
enriched in sodium, potassium, rare earth elements (REE), and yttrium (Y). Yasukawa, in 2014, also reported similar sediments from a core section of the DSDP Site 213, eastern
Indian Ocean, containing phillipsite and biogenic apatite (fish debris) with sediment hosting a high amount of rare earth yttrium (REY). Native metals, metalloids, REE, and REY present in the Indian Ocean could be of potential economic interest along with the existing manganese nodules. Perhaps it is now time to look for treasures beyond the manganese nodules that could add up to the blue
economy of India and help increase the gross domestic product.
Now, don’t you think there could still be more treasures in the ocean yet to unfold? We, at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, are very keen to understand the oceans and their maximum potential. Based on the vastness of the ocean and what is known so far, it looks like we need to grab the pickaxe, shovel, and gear (diving gears) to unearth the treasures in the Indian Ocean.
The Fig. shows the location of Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB) in the left, manganese nodules at the top, and smaller nodules associated with sediments in the right.
   The global ocean, with its untold mysteries, has been raising human consciousness. Covering an area of 72% of the earth is the most fragile ecosystem, with very few areas well explored.
      















































































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