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This is the view two kilometers under the ocean,
where it's usually very, very cold.
But here off the coast of Vanuatu,
it's piping hot because of springs,
formed by recently erupted volcanic lava flows.
And where there's volcanic activity,
minerals are being formed.
So this ordinary-looking black mud from the sea floor
could be worth millions of dollars.
Prof Neil Phillips - "We get a whole new set of clues from looking at this Vanuatu work.
"We understand the temperature, the amount of fluids on the sea floor.
"Things like salinity.
"The whole geometry of the copper and zinc accumulations here.
"And then we go and say
"right that's going to give us clues as to the ore deposits that may have formed
"in Australia or what was Australia two to three billion years ago."
By studying theses samples being pulled on board the research vessel Franklin,
scientists from Australia's research agency, CSIRO, hope to better understand
how rich deposits of iron and possibly copper, zinc,
silver and gold are formed.
Dr Tim McConachy - "A number of people in the exploration industry
"view the research as being at the forefront of economical geology
"it's fundamental applied research about how ore bodies form
"and it's the application of that
"which will help the industry in finding new deposits by studying them in the present,
"we'll have a much better idea about how they did form in the past."
As well as finding new mineral deposits,
the Vanuatu research trip
may also provide help for established mines.
Bacteria that live in this very hot underwater home
are extremely hardy critters,
possibly hardy enough to help in the high temperature processing of mineral ores.
Prof Neil Phillips - "It's most important that at times like this we continue
"learning about ore forming processes
"so that we keep investing in exploration,
"we keep making discoveries
"and those discoveries will be the mines of the future."