The Indian Ocean: Exploitable Mineral and Petroleum Resources

Exploration of marine minerals by geologists and oceanographers started more than a century ago, but at that time this type of work was largely confined to the intertidal zones and shallow waters, as these areas were easily accessible. There are also records of several investigations carried out during the famous Challenger expedition in the deep sea. Since then, marine geological and mineral explorations have progressed considerably, and our knowledge of the sea at depths ranging from 4000 m to 6000 m has increased accordingly. With this development has emerged also a change in the understanding of the resources of the seabed. At present, the seabed has become a focal point of studies, not only on petroleum and other mineral resources, but also on its own evolution in the history of the earth. The concepts of continental drift and plate tectonics being well established, further surveys and exploration have helped in establishing a relationship between the origin of the oceans and the mineral potential that exists in their floor. The Indian Ocean had its birth with the dismemberment of Gondwanaland. The seabed of the Indian Ocean contains minerals ranging from beach sand and gravel to heavy minerals associated with beach deposits. There are also surface occurrences of phosphorites and manganese nodules and sub-surface deposits of petroleum and various other types of mineral. The author of this book, Dr. G. S. Roonwal, has presented several aspects of mineral resources of the Indian Ocean.