The National Oceanography Bureau formally announced on March 26 that China's first oceanic expedition to sail around the globe would set sail next month. This historic journey will set out from Qingdao on April 2, and Chinese scientists will spend 300 days in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

The comprehensive expedition will focus submarine mines, hydrothermal sulfide, biotic resources and their relevant environments. In particular, it will carry out special studies on life forms living in the extreme environment of deep-sea hydrothermal vents, and will seek out new biogenic resources.

The scientists plan to carry out deep-sea exploration and collect samples of sulfide, water and hemipelagic sediment around hydrothermal vents in five regions. They will also promote a comprehensive study of the samples' mineral composition and tantalum content, and will put their research studies into practice as soon as possible. According to estimates of foreign scientists, such microorganisms, known for their ability to withstand extremely high temperatures, pressure and poison, have 1US$ billion potential market value.

(Chinanews March 28, 2005)