Consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above are correct?

Answer: (b) 2 and 3 Only

India has ISA licences; rare earths are on the seafloor.

Statement by statement

1. ✗ WRONG Licences come from the International Seabed Authority (ISA, Jamaica) under UNCLOS. The Global Ocean Commission was an advocacy group.

2. ✓ CORRECT India holds ISA contracts for polymetallic nodules in the Central Indian Ocean Basin and for sulphides on the Indian Ocean ridge.

3. ✓ CORRECT Rare earths occur in seafloor muds and nodules in international waters.

The idea

The Area under the law of the sea is the seabed beyond national jurisdiction. Its mineral resources have a different legal regime from resources within a country’s jurisdiction. An exploration contract allows investigation; it is not proof that commercial mining is operating.

Locate a prospective seabed deposit → Obtain an exploration contract → Survey and sample the area → Assess mineral content → Study environmental effects → Evaluate whether extraction is feasible

Why the others are wrong

(a) Gives licensing power to the Global Ocean Commission.

(c) Gives licensing power to the Global Ocean Commission.

(d) Gives licensing power to the Global Ocean Commission.

The trap

A body with “Global Ocean” in its name sounds like the regulator. The ISA is.

Elimination technique

The ISA, created under the law of the sea, is the relevant authority for the Area. Reject statement 1’s licensing claim; only (b) excludes it.

Also know

Polymetallic nodules lie on the seabed and can carry manganese, nickel, copper and cobalt. Seafloor sulphides form around hydrothermal vents, while cobalt-rich crusts grow on exposed rock surfaces. Disturbing these deposits can harm slow-growing deep-sea habitats.