China's heavy-duty deep-sea mining vehicle, Pioneer II, has achieved a remarkable milestone by successfully diving to depths exceeding 4,000 meters. This accomplishment highlights advancements in the country's technology for deep-sea mineral resource development.

The sea trial was orchestrated by Pioneer II, an engineering prototype developed independently by Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The noteworthy achievement was announced by the Shanghai municipal government on Tuesday.

In a series of trials, Pioneer II executed five diving and seabed mining operations, culminating in a record-breaking dive to a depth of 4,102.8 meters. This marks a historic moment as it is the first time a Chinese deep-sea heavy-duty mining vehicle has conducted operations at such significant depths.

The vehicle successfully carried out one dive per day over five consecutive days from June 22 to June 26 in the western Pacific Ocean, managing to collect over 200 kilograms of various deep-sea mineral samples, according to Yang Jianmin, chair professor at SJTU and chief scientist behind Pioneer II.

Pioneer II has been at the forefront of several innovations in marine technology, including specialized navigation capabilities for traversing complex seabed terrains and advanced methods for the composite drilling and extraction of diverse deep-sea minerals.

Yang emphasized that the trial illustrated that Pioneer II is capable of approaching the deep-sea resources typically found between depths of 2,000 and 6,000 meters, advancing China's position in the competitive field of seabed mining.

The successful trials have garnered praise from leading experts, including Lin Zhongqin and Li Jiabiao, both of whom are esteemed academicians at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, as well as Li Maolin, the director of a national key laboratory dedicated to deep-sea mineral resources.

These experts have indicated that this achievement signifies a substantial boost for China's technical and equipment capabilities in deep-sea scientific research, resource exploration, and environmental conservation.

According to reports, there is a growing anticipation for increased investment in deep-sea exploration technologies, which may further enhance China's ability to tap into its vast underwater mineral wealth.

With contributions from Xinhua, the success of Pioneer II represents another significant leap in China's ongoing deep-sea exploration efforts.

Cover Image: The deep-sea heavy-duty mining vehicle 'Pioneer II' undergoes a sea trial, June 22, 2024.