Japan And Korea Interested In Exploring Benham Rise

Japan And Korea To Explore Benham Rise

The Philippines is now making a loud buzz internationally, attracting many interested nations to discover what is behind the newly discovered territory – Benham Rise. Just recently, two close Asian nations have expressed their interest to explore and do some research of the mineral resources that can be found in the said territory.

Benham Rise is the newest territory of the Philippines that can be found off the coast of Aurora province. The said territory is a 13-million hectare and is believed to be larger than Luzon Island.

Benham Rise was recently confirmed to be the newest territory of the Philippines by the United Nations. And unlike Scarborough Shoal, no country claimed the area except the Philippines which is the closest nation in the area.

Benham Rise is composed of subsoil and seabed 200 nautical miles from the baseline of the state of the “edges”.

And because of its (Benham Rise) interesting undiscovered resources, Japan, and Korean have expressed their interest to explore and research about the territory. According to Department of Science and Technology (DOST), they are very hopeful that the two nation could undertake an important resource mapping over the said territory.

According to the Executive Director of DOST’s Philippine Council on Industry, Energy and Emerging Technologies Research and Development, Carlos Primo David, Benham Rose have caught the interest of some of the experts coming from Korea Institute of Ocean  Science and Technology (KIOST) and Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) to collaborate for the study of the territory.

The JAMSTEC is investing ¥6-billion for doing submarine research project, according to David.

Back in 2011, JAMSTEC discovered polymetallic minerals, rare earth elements, valuable manganese nodules and hydrothermal deposits in the deep sea between Philippines and Japan.

According to James the JAMSTEC have advised him not to buy some expensive remotely operated underwater vehicle that is to be used for resource mapping, instead “just collaborate” with them or “rent” their equipment.

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