The pacific islands applied Geosciences commission (SOPAC) has revealed that a Canadian based company nautilus minerals Inc has found deposits of gold, copper and zinc in Papua New Guinea’s Bismarck Sea. Nautilus minerals will be able to take out nearly 6000 tonnes of minerals by next year using a new custom made vessel and remote controlled mining machines. Many exploration companies are interested in deep sea mining in many parts of south pacific with PNG and Fiji.

Both nautilus and Neptune minerals have got exploration license for Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, the Federated States of Micronesia, Vanuatu and New Zealand. Nautilus has pending license for Fiji. A scientist in SOPAC said, there are growing concerns that countries are issuing prospecting licenses despite a lack of any specific legislation governing offshore mineral exploration and mining.