Seamount ferromanganese crusts are known to enrich several high-value metals such as cobalt, platinum, cerium, tellurium, etc. The project is to identify areas of occurrence of cobalt-enriched ferromanganese crusts, assessment of resource potential of co-rich deposits on Afanasiy-Nikitin seamount in the Afanasiy-Nikitin Seamount region.

a) Objectives

1. Multibeam mapping of the entire ANS region
2. Sampling the entire ANS in grid-pattern to estimate Co-Pt resources – spot sampling
3. Continuation of collecting baseline environmental data from the ANS region

b) Participating Institutions

• National Institute of Oceanography, Goa
• National Centre for Antarctic & Ocean Research, Goa

c) Implementation Plans

1. Extensive survey would be carried out in all the known seamounts in the Eastern Arabian Sea for mapping the occurrence of multi-metal ferromanganese crust deposits, and sampling.
2. Conducting necessary analytical/laboratory investigation to assess the metal enrichment in the deposits.
3. Preparation of maps of seamount ferromanganese deposits in the Eastern Arabian Sea and estimating tentative resource values. Processing of the scientific data generated for preparing scientific manuscripts and technical reports.
4. Create data bank for cobalt crust programme.

d) Deliverables:

1. First information on the multimetal ferromanganese crust occurrence in the marine regime located in the vicinity of India and their quality.
2. Scientific papers and technical reports based on the data generated.

e) Budget requirement : 75 crores

(Rs. In crores)