Cover of China’s first geochemical atlas of seabed sediments in its eastern waters, as shown in a CCTV News report on April 14, 2026. Photo: screenshot from CCTV News

China has for the first time officially released a detailed “seabed chemical element map” of its eastern waters, presenting the results of nearly 20 years of marine geological surveys, CCTV News reported on Tuesday, citing the Ministry of Natural Resources.

According to the report, the map will provide precise data support for coastal and marine spatial planning, ecological and environmental protection, and resource exploration.

Through this systematic survey and research, the scientific team integrated measured data from surface sediments with machine-learning analysis across more than 20,000 sampling sites, forming what is so far the most extensive, multi-dimensional and highly reliable geochemical dataset covering China’s eastern waters.

The study also enabled a full-process geochemical analysis of sediments in the region, tracing their evolution from land to sea – effectively giving the seabed a comprehensive “elemental check-up,” the report said.

Based on these results, researchers were able to map the locations, concentrations and distribution patterns of dozens of chemical elements, including iron, manganese, copper and rare earth elements. This has resulted in a geochemical atlas of seabed sediments in China’s eastern waters, providing what is described as an overall “navigation chart” for marine development and conservation in the region, according to CCTV News.

Dou Yanguang, a researcher at the Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology under the China Geological Survey, was cited in the report as saying that analysis of element distribution can help quickly identify polluted areas and ecologically sensitive zones, support the delineation of marine ecological protection red lines, and strengthen the management of marine pollution and related risks.

“It can also enable more precise targeting of seabed mineral resources, reducing blind exploration. At the same time, it will facilitate scientific research by helping scientists better understand the ocean’s past and present, and providing data support for studying the evolution of the Earth,” Dou said.

China’s eastern waters include the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea, forming a key maritime region linking the Eurasian continent and the Pacific Ocean. Layers of sediments and biological remains accumulated on the seabed are like a “marine diary,” faithfully recording processes such as continental drift, climate change and river course shifts over millions of years, according to CCTV News.

The research fills a gap in the systematic geochemical mapping of seabed sediments in China’s eastern waters, and is expected to enhance China’s academic influence in global studies of marginal seas, according to the report.

Global Times