Recently, according to the South China Morning Post, a well-known international media in Hong Kong, China has successfully completed sea trials of a deep-sea mining vehicle, named "Kaitou II" prototype developed by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, has carried out five test dives, the deepest reached 4102.8 meters, setting a national record.
The mining vehicle is designed for operation at a maximum depth of 6,000 meters, which will make seabed mining possible throughout the South China Sea. In sea trials, Pioneer 2 demonstrated its ability to navigate complex seabed terrain, efficiently extract diverse minerals, and safely manage heavy equipment in harsh sea conditions.
Pioneer II: A technological pioneer in deep-sea mining
Developed by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Kai Kai T-2 is designed to mine minerals from the seabed at depths of up to 6,000 meters. Recently, it completed five test dives in the western Pacific Ocean, one of which reached a depth of 4,102.8 meters, setting a new national record. This depth covers almost the entire seabed of the South China Sea, with an average depth of 1,212 meters and a maximum depth of 5,559 meters.
Pioneer 2 resembles a tank in appearance, with a drill bit in front and a mineral collection system and storage bin in the middle, connected to the water surface by an umbilical cable. It measures 6 meters long, 3 meters wide and 2.5 meters high, and weighs about 14 tons.
According to project leader Professor Yang Jianmin, there are three major technical challenges in developing deep-sea mining vehicles: navigating complex seabed terrain, effectively extracting diverse mineral forms, and safely managing heavy equipment in harsh sea conditions.
During the trial, Kintor 2 successfully navigated steep submarine seamounts and rugged terrain at more than 30 degrees, gathering rich minerals including key resources such as copper, cobalt, nickel and manganese. These resources have important application value in the fields of science and technology, national defense and medical care.
In addition, Kintor 2 is equipped with advanced technologies such as intelligent path planning, tracking and obstacle avoidance, as well as an environmental monitoring system to ensure the safety and efficiency of its operation.
As the importance of deep-sea mineral resources grows, deep-sea mining activities are accelerating globally. For example, Japan collected 649 kilograms of cobalt and nickel-rich minerals from a depth of 1,600 meters from the seafloor in 2020; In 2021, deep-sea mining vehicles from Belgium and India were tested at depths of 4,500 and 5,270 meters, respectively; In 2022, Canada also conducted mineral gathering and transportation tests at a depth of 4,400 meters.
China's deep-sea mining technology is leading the way in global competition, and the successful testing of the Pioneer 2 has undoubtedly laid a solid foundation for the mainland's further development in this field.
Despite the huge economic potential of deep-sea mining, its environmental impact has also raised widespread concern. In a report released in May this year, Greenpeace noted that deep-sea mining could cause problems such as chemical pollution, noise, vibration and light interference, posing a threat to seabed ecosystems.
According to the report, deep-sea mining activities generate large amounts of floating debris that can shade the water column for long periods of time and suffocate marine life. In addition, noise, vibration, and light disturbances can affect the behavior and communication of marine mammals.
In the face of these challenges, China's research team is actively studying how to protect the marine environment while exploiting seabed resources, seeking a win-win situation for economic development and ecological protection.
The successful test of Kintor 2 not only demonstrates China's outstanding capabilities in deep-sea mining technology, but also provides an important reference for the development of deep-sea mineral resources around the world. Next, let's focus on further developments in this area and how technological advances can be made while protecting the precious marine ecosystem.
Economic prospects for deep-sea mineral development
Deep-sea mineral resources not only have abundant reserves, but also contain huge economic potential.
Deep-sea mineral resources include polymetallic nodules, cobalt-rich crusts and polymetallic sulphides, which are rich in important metals such as copper, cobalt, nickel, manganese and rare earth elements. These metals have a wide range of applications in high-tech industries, defense industries, and new energy fields. For example, cobalt and nickel are important raw materials for electric vehicle batteries and mobile devices, while rare earth elements are indispensable in wind turbines and electronics.
With the gradual depletion of terrestrial mineral resources, deep-sea mineral resources provide an important guarantee to meet the development needs of the global economy in the future. According to the United Nations International Seabed Authority, the global seabed is estimated to contain billions of tonnes of polymetallic nodules, with huge potential for exploitation.
Although deep-sea mining technology is complex and costly, the cost of deep-sea mining is gradually decreasing as technology advances. For example, China's Kint-2 has made significant breakthroughs in deep-sea mining technology, greatly improving mining efficiency and reducing operating costs through technologies such as intelligent path planning, automatic navigation and efficient mineral collection.
In addition, the continuous innovation and competition of countries around the world in deep-sea mining technology has also promoted technological progress and cost reduction. In the future, with the further maturity of technology, the economic feasibility of deep-sea mineral development will be significantly improved, bringing new growth momentum to the global economy.
Deep-sea mineral resources not only have direct economic value, but also drive the development of a series of high value-added industrial chains. Deep-sea mining involves the manufacture of technology and equipment, marine transportation and mineral processing, which will create a large number of jobs and promote the development of related industries.
For example, the mining and processing of metals such as copper, cobalt and nickel will directly contribute to the development of electronics, electric vehicles and renewable energy. The rise of these industries will further drive the development of upstream and downstream industrial chains, forming a virtuous circle.
The development of deep-sea minerals is a major project of global significance, and cooperation and competition coexist among countries in this field. China's leading position in deep-sea mining technology provides strong support for international cooperation and global market development.
By cooperating with other countries, China can integrate advanced international technologies to further enhance its deep-sea mining capacity. At the same time, China's deep-sea mineral technology and equipment can also be exported to other countries to open up the international market and obtain more economic benefits.
Deep-sea minerals: a new battlefield in the competition for national resources
With the increase of global resource consumption, deep-sea mineral mining is gradually becoming a new frontier of national resource competition. Countries around the world are accelerating the development and testing of deep-sea mining technologies in an effort to compete for this potentially vast resource.
On a global scale, the development of deep-sea mineral resources has become the focus of competition among countries. In addition to China's Pioneer No. 2, Japan, Belgium, India, Canada and other countries are also actively carrying out research and experiments on deep-sea mining.
- Japan: In 2020, Japan collected 649 kilograms of cobalt- and nickel-rich minerals from the seabed at a depth of 1,600 meters, which are essential for electronics and battery manufacturing.
- Belgium: In 2021, Global Sea Mineral Resources in Belgium conducted mineral collection tests at a depth of 4,500 meters.
- 印度：同年，印度国家海洋技术研究所（Indian National Institute of Ocean Technology）也在5270米深的海底测试了采矿车辆。
- Canada: In 2022, The Metals Company in Canada conducted mineral gathering, transportation and surface system testing at a depth of 4,400 meters.
In addition, the Cook Islands and Japan are currently engaged in deep-sea mineral exploration within their national jurisdictions. In January, Norway's parliament voted to allow deep-sea mining in the Norway Sea.
Deep-sea mineral resources have enormous economic potential, the vast majority of which is untapped.
Minerals such as copper, cobalt, nickel and manganese, which are abundant in the seabed, are key raw materials for the manufacture of high-tech products, defense equipment and medical devices. With the gradual depletion of terrestrial mineral resources, deep-sea mineral development has become an important way to solve the problem of resource shortage.
China's Kintor 2 successfully collected more than 200 kilograms of mineral samples, which are rich in critical minerals such as copper, cobalt, nickel and manganese. In the future, these minerals will provide important support for the mainland's high-tech industry and defense industry, and help the country's economic development.
Despite the enormous economic value of deep-sea mineral development, its impact on the environment has also raised widespread concern. The Greenpeace report notes that deep-sea mining can cause problems such as chemical pollution, noise, vibration and light interference, posing a serious threat to seabed ecosystems.
Against this backdrop, Chinese research teams are actively studying how to protect the marine environment while exploiting seabed resources. Professor Yang Jianmin said his team is developing an advanced environmental monitoring system designed to monitor and assess the impact of deep-sea mining activities on marine ecosystems in real time.
A little summary
With the continuous progress of technology and the intensification of international competition, the development of deep-sea minerals has broad prospects.
However, there are a number of technical and environmental challenges that need to be overcome to achieve this goal. China's Kintor 2 has achieved remarkable results in technological innovation, but it still needs to further improve the stability and efficiency of the equipment in the future, and seek more environmentally friendly mining technologies.
In the future, China needs to continue to strengthen the research and development of deep-sea mineral technology, actively participate in international cooperation, and promote the sustainable development of deep-sea mineral development. At the same time, we should also attach great importance to the protection of the marine environment and ensure that this precious ecosystem is protected while developing marine resources.
In short, the development of deep-sea minerals is both an opportunity and a challenge. China's research team continues to explore this field and strive to provide technical support and environmental solutions for the development of deep-sea minerals around the world. Let us look forward to a new chapter in the development of deep-sea minerals, which will inject new impetus into the development of the country's economy and science and technology.