• UGI USER
  • Jul 29, 2024
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“DISCOVERY OF ‘DARK OXYGEN’ RAISES MINING CONCERNS”

Why in the news?

  • Scientists discovered “dark oxygen” in deep-sea regions, where photosynthesis is impossible due to darkness.
  • The oxygen increase, found in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, suggests unknown ecosystems and potential effects of polymetallic nodules.
  • Nodule surfaces have up to 0.95 V voltage, possibly generating oxygen by splitting water molecules.
source:medium

About Deep-Sea Mining :

  • Deep-sea mining, including for polymetallic nodules, is anticipated to expand significantly.
  • India and other nations, including China, are pursuing exploration and extraction contracts.
  • Past studies, like the ISCOL Experiment, highlight potential long-term environmental damage from such mining activities.

Environmental Concerns:

  • Mining could harm ecosystems dependent on “dark oxygen” and affect marine biodiversity.
  • Recent studies and insurance exclusions reflect growing concerns about mining impacts on deep-sea environments.
About Dark Oxygen:

  • Definition: Oxygen produced in complete darkness, thousands of feet below the ocean surface.
  • Significance: Contradicts prior belief that oxygen is solely produced through sunlight-dependent photosynthesis.
  • Traditional Process: Oxygen production attributed to oceanic plankton, algae, and bacteria via photosynthesis.
  • New Discovery: Oxygen generated from polymetallic nodules (containing manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, lithium).
  • Mechanism: Nodule-induced electrochemical reactions split H2O into hydrogen and oxygen.

About Polymetallic Nodules:

  • Polymetallic Nodules: Rounded seabed formations, also known as manganese nodules.
  • Composition: Contain manganese, iron, nickel, copper, cobalt, platinum, rare earth elements, and lithium.
  • Formation: Develop slowly over millions of years with concentric layers around a nucleus.
  • Significance: Essential for lithium-ion batteries in various technologies.
  • Location: Found in the Pacific Ocean and northern Indian Ocean.

About the Clarion-Clipperton Zone:

  • Location: Vast plain in North Pacific Ocean, between Hawaii and Mexico.
  • Resource: Contains polymetallic nodules with manganese, nickel, copper, and cobalt.
  • Discovery: First discovered by British sailors in 1873.
  • Ecology: Home to up to 30 cetacean populations, including endangered blue whales.