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Abstract With the rapid development of global strategic emerging industries, the demand for critical minerals such as cobalt, nickel, manganese and lithium has soared, rendering deepsea mineral resources of significant exploitation value. Simultaneously, the exploitation of seabed mineral resources will drive the advancement of deepsea technology and industry to a higher level, enhancing a countrys marine development and exploration capabilities. This paper delves into the progress of global deepsea mineral resource exploitation, with a particular focus on the pivotal role of equipment technology in this process. Since the 1960s, developed countries have made continuous breakthroughs in the management systems, exploration equipment, development platforms, and mining operation equipment for deepsea mineral resources, thereby strengthening their management systems of ocean affairs and developing seabed drilling technology, deepsea mining platform technology, and technology of environmental impact assessment. Some countries have already completed multiple offshore mining tests, demonstrating their ability to lead the formulation of international seabed mining standards and rules. China has rapidly improved its administrative management capabilities and the level of legal construction related to seabed resource development since the 1990s, actively participating in the exploration and application for international seabed mining areas. Since the 12th FiveYear Plan period, China has successively completed the individual tests of mining vehicles ranging from 500 meters to 4000 meters in sea trials, laying a solid foundation for the next stage of work. However, compared with foreign developed countries, China remains behind them because it has inadequate fundamental research, limited capabilities for verification and research and development (R&D) of core technological equipment, a lack of independent R&D capabilities for key components, the absence of fullsystem joint sea trials and commercial mining solutions, and the lag in the R&D of environmentally friendly equipment and environmental assessments. Having seen the upcoming era of deepsea mining, China should strengthen strategic research on the exploitation of deepsea mineral resources, intensify technological innovation, accelerate the development of a technological system for deepsea mining equipment, foster a hightech equipment industry for deepsea exploration, and expand Chinas interests in deepsea activities.
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2024, Vol. 32 
