China's Mengxiang drilling vessel retrieves deep-sea basalt samples in South China Sea

(ECNS) -- China’s ocean drilling vessel Mengxiang, meaning Dream, has successfully completed a trial ocean drilling mission in the South China Sea, retrieving basalt samples from the deep-sea basin, according to the China Geological Survey under the Ministry of Natural Resources on Monday.

The milestone makes China the third country in the world to successfully drill and retrieve hard rock samples from deep oceanic basins using drilling vessels.

The 30-day expedition carried out coring operations in South China Sea basin waters at a depth of 4,100 meters.

According to the ministry on the same day, the ocean drilling vessel has set a national record for deep-sea drilling, elevating its capability to the 5,000-meter level, after obtaining basalt samples from the South China Sea basin.

Mengxiang is currently the world’s only ocean drilling vessel capable of reaching a drilling depth of up to 11,000 meters.

(By Intern Lin Qiaochu, Zhang Dongfang)