New Research Suggests Deep Ocean Metals Might Produce Oxygen, Impacting Deep Sea Mining Plans

JAKARTA – A latest research means that metals scattered within the deep ocean might produce oxygen. These findings might be used as an argument in opposition to controversial deep sea mining.

Scientists have lengthy believed that vegetation and different photosynthetic life are the one sources of oxygen on Earth.

This new research revealed in Nature Geoscience challenges that concept, suggesting that polymetallic nodules, potato-sized lumps of minerals discovered on the ocean flooring, might be a supply of oxygen.

Scientists found this whereas sampling the ocean flooring within the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a ridge that stretches 7,242 km within the japanese Pacific Ocean.

To be exact, once they discovered oxygen at a depth of 4,000 meters underwater, in an space so darkish that photosynthesis was unimaginable.

At first they thought their gear was defective. Finally, they instructed that polymetallic nodules are the supply of this “darkish” oxygen.

How is Darkish Oxygen Created?

When mixed with salt water, rust can generate electrical energy, sufficient to take oxygen atoms from water molecules. The researchers thought that the nodules may need the identical operate, in order that they examined them within the laboratory.

A single nodule, they discovered, can produce practically 1 volt of electrical energy. When grouped collectively, the nodules can generate sufficient electrical energy to separate seawater.

Polymetallic nodules used for electrical car batteries

Researchers say the invention provides complexity to plans to mine polymetallic nodules, which comprise lots of the metals utilized in electrical car (EV) batteries.