Today, there is a big issue about a huge treasure in the Indian Ocean. This treasure is worth billions of dollars and is made up of cobalt. Because of this, you could say there is a “Cobalt War” going on in the Indian Ocean.
Countries are fighting to control the cobalt-rich mountains there. On one side, there is India, and on the other side, there is China. China is very worried that India might get ahead in this race for cobalt. The fight over these cobalt mountains in the Indian Ocean is very important for both countries.
What is Cobalt ?
You might have heard of it before. Cobalt is blue and not many people know its uses. When we think of batteries, like those in mobile phones or electric vehicles, we usually think of lithium. But did you know that you also need cobalt to make these batteries? Without cobalt, lithium batteries won’t work.
Cobalt is important for many things. It’s used in mobile phone batteries, laptop batteries, electric vehicle batteries, and even in making special types of steel. Cobalt is a rare mineral and can only be found in a few places around the world.
In India, there might be a chance to find cobalt if we can mine an underwater mountain in the Indian Ocean. This could be very valuable for the country.
There is a mountain under the Indian Ocean made of cobalt. Yes, it exists! This mountain is called Nikitin Seamount. It’s a unique wonder of nature. Millions of years ago, there was a volcano here. When the volcano erupted, it created this huge underwater mountain.
Volcanoes are rare in the Indian Ocean; they are usually found near the Pacific Ocean. But one of the few volcanoes in the Indian Ocean formed this big underwater mountain, now known as Nikitin Seamount.
This seamount is full of valuable minerals like cobalt and copper. It’s hard to say exactly how much these minerals are worth, but it’s clear that this mountain is like a treasure chest. If a country wants to be self-sufficient in manufacturing and needs minerals, Nikitin Seamount is very important.
India Seeks Mineral Rights
These mountains are like a treasure. If a country wants to do manufacturing and be self-reliant in minerals, the Nikotine Seamount is very important. Recently, India asked an international organization for permission to work on the Nikotine Seamount. This area is not part of any country; it is in international waters.
Now you can understand why it is written everywhere that India has rights to explore an underwater cobalt-rich mountain.
India’s Underwater Mining Ambitions
After understanding all this information, you must realize why it’s written everywhere that India has sought rights to explore underwater cobalt-rich mountains. An international organization, the International Seabed Authority (ISA), located in Jamaica, handles these matters. Indian government officials went there and submitted an application. The application fee is about $500,000 or roughly 85 lakh rupees.
India stated that this area is very important and requested permission to work there. If the ISA approves, it could be a game changer for India. This approval would allow India to start mining cobalt in that area.
Sri Lanka, a country we recently helped with a loan to avoid default, also has an interest in this area. Sri Lanka’s president has admitted that India’s help was crucial during tough times. Now, Sri Lanka is eyeing the same seabed for mining.
Other countries like the Maldives have shown interest too, but they lack the funds for mining. Therefore, the ISA does not take their appeal as seriously as Sri Lanka’s claim. So you might wonder, where does China fit into all of this?
China is trying to help Sri Lanka get the rights to mine a sea mount. Sri Lanka doesn’t have enough money to send expensive ships and do underwater mining. This kind of work needs millions or even billions of dollars. So, Chinese companies might come in and start mining through Sri Lanka.
China’s plan is to push India aside and start mining at this sea mount with Sri Lanka’s help. If China succeeds, India won’t get the sea mount. This means India can’t mine cobalt there.
Cobalt is very important because most of it comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Africa, which is not a very stable country. If India could start mining at this sea mount, it wouldn’t need to rely on DRC for cobalt anymore.
India has a long coastline and many big companies like Mahindra, Tata, and various battery companies. If India gets enough cobalt, it could use it for its own needs and maybe even export some.
This situation could be a big change for India. We need to see if India gets the sea mount or if China manages to claim it with Sri Lanka’s help.
The whole world is watching India right now. BBC, CNN, and other news outlets are publishing articles about an undersea race to mine cobalt. India is developing undersea exploration vehicles that can go 6,000 meters deep. These vehicles will help study where to dig and mine for cobalt.
However, I’m worried about the ecological impact of underwater mining. It could harm marine life and cause pollution. In India, some people might protest against this because it’s bad for the environment. Unlike China, which suppresses dissent, India is a democracy and must manage these protests carefully.
Table of Contents
What does China do with cobalt?
80% of the DRC’s cobalt output is owned by Chinese companies, refined in China, and then sold to battery makers around the world
What is cobalt used for in the military?
These magnets are capable of maintaining their magnetic strength at high temperatures, making them well-suited for military technologies like precision-guided missiles, smart bombs, and aircraft.
Why is cobalt important?
Cobalt is an essential component in the cathodes of Lithium-ion batteries. In the petro-chemical industry, the unique properties of cobalt mean that it is essential in catalysts to remove sulphur, nitrous oxide and other impurities from crude oil allowed better fuel quality minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.