In a groundbreaking discovery, Chinese scientists have identified a massive underwater mineral deposit in the western Pacific that is exceptionally rich in gold and silver. This remarkable find was made during a joint scientific expedition involving several prestigious Chinese academic institutions, including Tsinghua University the Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
The discovery was announced on September 13, 2026, and highlights the potential of deep-sea mining for valuable resources. The deposit is located in a back-arc basin within China’s exclusive economic zone, an area known for its intense tectonic activity.
The expedition and its findings
The research team embarked on an 18-day voyage aboard the Chinese oceanographic research ship Xiangyanghong 10 setting sail from Shenzhen on August 10, 2026. During the expedition, the team conducted seven dives with submersibles to explore the depths of the western Pacific.
Building on more than 10 previous surveys in the area, the team identified dozens of high-temperature hydrothermal vents at depths ranging from 700 to 1,500 meters. The temperatures of the hydrothermal fluids at these vents reached an astonishing 315°C.
The newly discovered mineral deposit consists of three large cone-shaped mineral structures composed mainly of chalcopyritepyrite and sphalerite. Preliminary analysis revealed that some samples contained as much as 15.4 parts per million (ppm) of gold, equivalent to 15.4 grams per ton of ore. The silver content reached an impressive 1,271 ppm or 1,271 grams per ton.
The geological processes behind the deposit
The deposit is located near the boundary between the Eurasian Plate and the Philippine Sea Plate where tectonic activity is intense. Seawater moves down through cracks in the seafloor, where it is heated by magma below. This process leads to a series of physical and chemical reactions that extract and concentrate materials from deep within the crust.
When the hot fluids rise and enter cold seawater, dissolved metals react with reduced sulfur in the seawater to form solid sulfides. These sulfides gradually accumulate into seafloor mineral deposits, creating the rich deposits discovered by the research team.
The scientific and economic significance
The discovery of this world-class seafloor deposit has significant scientific and economic implications. The high concentrations of gold, silver, copper, zinc, and other resources make it a valuable find. However, active hydrothermal deposits of this kind are not yet ready for mining due to the high pressure in the deep sea and complex geological conditions.
The research team also discovered thriving communities of life in the hydrothermal field, including shrimp, crabs, shellfish, and extremophiles. These biological communities are of great scientific value for studying life processes under extreme conditions.
Song Shiji deputy dean of the Institute for Ocean Engineering at Tsinghua University, emphasized the importance of these findings for understanding life in extreme deep-sea environments.
Preliminary estimates suggest that the potential polymetallic sulfide resources in the area could reach the level of a world-class seafloor deposit. This discovery highlights the potential of deep-sea mining for valuable resources and the need for further research and development in this field.
