Interest in underwater mineral exploration began in the 1960s and 1970s, but high operating costs and insufficient technology hampered development. Several private companies have shown a continued interest in deep-sea mineral exploration. In addition to private companies, several countries, including China, Japan and South Korea, are pursuing the requisite technology to perform deep-sea mining operations. In the past, China has used energy exploration projects as a tool to stake a claim on the South China Sea. Indeed, deep-sea mining exploration could spread China's influence in the South China Sea, the East China Sea and the Indian Ocean. More recently, the International Seabed Authority approved China's bid to explore a 10,000-square-kilometer area in the southwest Indian Ocean for a total of 15 years. Japan has also recorded significant new discoveries on the ocean floor. A recent offshore discovery occurred 1,243 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in Japan's exclusive economic zone and found mud containing rare earth elements. Combined with an earlier find in 2011 in the Pacific Ocean, the discovery could motivate Japan to develop its deep-sea mining capabilities further. Historically, South Korea has tended to lag behind China and Japan in the deep-sea mining sector. However, South Korea's recent central Indian Ocean acquisition — in addition to three other ocean-floor acquisitions — and continued technological development show Seoul's drive to compete in the mineral-acquisition industry. Like Japan, South Korea likely is doing so to obtain resource security and regional competitiveness.
