China's research vessel Haiyang Dizhi-6 recently completed its 16th deep-sea geological survey expedition, according to CCTV News on Monday. The mission has achieved a number of important results in areas including deep-sea geological environment investigations and the research, development, and application of key marine exploration technologies and equipment.

During this expedition, the scientific team employed a variety of geological survey methods and obtained valuable first-hand data and samples, including polymetallic nodules, seafloor rocks, and near-bottom seawater.

Qin Pengbo, a deputy director of the institute of applied marine geology of Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey (GMGS) under the China Geological Survey, said that they discovered high-abundance polymetallic nodules, and in particular obtained approximately 90 kilograms of basalt samples, per CCTV News. These samples provide important support for studying the characteristics of the mantle source region in the area and investigating Earth's deep evolutionary processes.

In addition, in terms of the development and application of technical equipment, the research team has also completed sea trials and acceptance testing of China's independently developed full-ocean-depth (10,000-meter-class) electromagnetic data acquisition station and its offshore operational system, the world's first of its kind.

They also acquired high-quality data in an abyssal rift zone in the western Pacific at a water depth of 7,737 meters, with results showing that all performance indicators fully met the required standards, CCTV reported, citing engineer Wu Zebin from GMGS.

Wu also noted that the successful sea trial marks a major breakthrough in China's deep-sea electromagnetic survey technology, and will support scientific research on hadal-zone Earth systems and site selection for international ocean drilling programs.