Deep ocean mineral exploration in the Indian Ocean using Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROSUB 6000)

Deep water missions for carrying out diverse scientific investigations and mineral resource exploration have been in progress for more than five decades in India, using indirect and direct measurement devices. Most of the studies are focused on marine biological, chemical, geological, geophysical and physical oceanographic observations, by utilizing sampling gears and measurement devices from ship board systems, and aimed at resource identification, and ecological, paleo-oceanographic and paleo-climatic studies. Visually investigating the deep ocean basin is a challenging exercise and many scientific investigations by direct observations had brought out some very exciting discoveries from different ocean basins. To cater to the need of the ocean community in India, a 6000 m depth rated Remotely Operated Vehicle ROSUB 6000, has been developed at the National Institute of Ocean Technology. This paper explains the system's engineering concepts, and the outcome of deep sea mineral exploration expeditions, conducted using the ROSUB 6000 for gas hydrates' exploration in the Krishna Godavari Basin in the Bay of Bengal, polymetallic manganese nodules in the Central Indian Ocean Basin, and hydrothermal sulphides at the Central Indian Ridge in the Southern Indian Ocean near the Rodriguez Triple Junction.