• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.271-279
• /
• 2008

Polymetallic sulphides means hydrothermally formed deposits of sulphide minerals which contain concentrations of metals including, inter alia, copper, lead, zinc, gold and silver. Nautilus is the first company to commercially explore the seafloor polymetallic sulphide deposits. The Company holds exploration licences and exploration applications for more than 370,000 $km^2$ in the jurisdictional seas of Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga, the Solomon Islands and New Zealand along the western Pacific Ocean's Rim of Fire. Neptune Minerals is also a leading explorer and developer in this field, with exploration licences awarded totalling more than 270,000 $km^2$ in the territorial seas or EEZ of New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the Federated States of Micronesia. These two companies now carry out the most active investment activities for seafloor polymetallic sulphide deposits with a goal of commercial production by 2010. China and Japan carry out exploration activities for the seafloor polymetallic sulphide deposits to secure supplies of strategic metals. China carries out national R&D projects relating to deep sea mineral resources in the world ocean through China Ocean Mineral Resources R&D Association(COMRA). And Japan investigates her own EEZ for exploration of the seafloor polymetallic sulphide deposits. In consideration of aforementioned international activities of coastal nations as well as private companies for exploring the sulphide deposits, Korea shall prepare strategic plans : First, consolidation of the authorities concerned and legislative support; second, determination of main entity of the project; third, securing government's decisive investment of sufficient budget; and lastly, establishment of the mid, long-term plan for development of seafloor polymetallic sulphides deposits.