Question

India has got rights to mine magnesium nodules from the_____
a) Pacific ocean
b) Indian ocean
c) Atlantic ocean
d) Arctic ocean

Answer 1

Hint: Polymetallic nodules, also known as manganese nodules, are rock concretions at the bottom of the sea produced around a core by concentric layers of iron and manganese hydroxides. Since nodules can be found in large amounts and contain valuable metals, deposits have been described as having economic importance. The size of nodules ranges from small particles visible only under a microscope to large pellets over 20 centimeters (8 in) long.

Complete Answer:
- About 30 percent (on average) of the seabed is filled by magnesium nodules. They are therefore the most important deposits in the sea of minerals. As it guards the Indian Ocean, India got the rights to mine them from the International Seabed Authority (ISA).
- India can improve the availability of nickel, copper, cobalt and manganese by mining polymetallic nodules on the seabed in the Central Indian Ocean Basin. India has the right to explore and mine polymetallic nodules of over 750,000 square km through an agreement with the International Seabed Authority.
- 'Manganese nodules' (polymetallic nodules) are rock concretions on the seafloor formed around a tiny core by concentric layers of iron, manganese, and other high-value metals. The nodules are formed over several million years by precipitation of metals from sea water.

Hence, the correct answer is option b).

Note: The Indian Ocean is the third largest oceanic division in the world, covering 70,560,000 km2, or 19.8 percent of the surface water on Earth. It is limited to the north by Asia, to the west by Africa and to the east by Australia. Depending on the definition in use, it is bordered to the south by the Southern Ocean or Antarctica. The Indian Ocean has certain large marginal or regional seas along its core, such as the Arabian Sea, the Laccadive Sea, the Somali Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Andaman Sea.