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CRIMM

China Minmetals’ deep-sea mining research institute, Changsha
Minmetals subsidiaryFounded 1955

The Changsha Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (CRIMM) is the deep-sea technology arm of China Minmetals. Founded in 1955 in Changsha, Hunan, and wholly owned by the group, it built and sea-trialed the Kunlong 500 seabed nodule collector and organizes the survey cruises to the China Minmetals polymetallic nodule contract area in the Pacific Clarion-Clipperton Zone.

News and articles

DateHeadline
Apr. 12, 2026CRIMM Technology Cracks Precision Sampling and Assessment Challenges for Deep-Sea Polymetallic Nodules
Apr. 3, 2026China Minmetals Deep-Sea Resources Development Committee Founded at Meeting and Deep-Sea Planning Seminar at CRIMM
Feb. 11, 2026CRIMM and Shanghai Jiao Tong University Sign Agreement to Jointly Build Marine Heavy Equipment and Systems Technology Laboratory
Jan. 9, 20262025 Cruise to the China Minmetals Polymetallic Nodule Contract Area Returns in Triumph
Dec. 8, 2025Forum on Green Development of Deep-Sea Mineral Resources Held in Changsha
July 17, 2025Deep-Sea Mining and Environmental Protection Forum Held at 27th CAST Annual Meeting in Beijing
May 19, 2025China’s First Environmental Impact Statement for a Deep-Sea Mining Vehicle Trial Approved
Apr. 28, 2025CRIMM Attends Launch Ceremony of the BRICS International Research Center for Deep-Sea Resources
Jan. 6, 2025State Key Laboratory of Deep-Sea Mineral Resources Development Holds Fourth Academic Committee Meeting
Nov. 19, 20242024 Cruise to the China Minmetals Polymetallic Nodule Contract Area Returns in Triumph
Oct. 21, 2024Concluding Report Meeting on Deep-Sea Mineral Resources Patent Navigation Project Held at CRIMM
Oct. 21, 2024CRIMM Deep-Sea Mining Equipment on Display at China Mining Conference
June 19, 2024Hunan Provincial Major S&T Project on Key Deep-Sea Mining Equipment Passes Expert Acceptance
May 30, 2024CRIMM and Ocean University of China Hold Science and Technology Cooperation Exchange
May 17, 2024CRIMM Exhibits Full Deep-Sea Mining System Model at 2024 China Brand Day
Dec. 29, 2023CRIMM Showcases Deep-Sea Mining and Dredging Equipment at 2023 China Marine Economy Expo
Sept. 13, 2023Kickoff Meeting Held for Drafting Deep-Sea Mineral Resources Development Technology Roadmap
Aug. 22, 2023CRIMM and Ocean University of China Sign Agreement to Jointly Build National Key Laboratory
Nov. 30, 2022Two CRIMM Deep-Sea Metallurgical Technologies Rated Internationally Leading
Nov. 30, 2022China Ocean Voyage 73 and the 2022 Expedition to the China Minmetals Polymetallic Nodule Contract Area Return Safely
May 18, 2022Deep-Sea State Key Laboratory Convenes New Academic Committee
Sept. 7, 2021China’s First Domestically Developed Intelligent Mixed-Transport Equipment System for Deep-Sea Mining Completes 500-Meter-Class Sea Trial
May 28, 2021CRIMM’s Kunlong 500 Showcased at the 2021 China Brand Day Event
Dec. 2, 2019Kunlong 500 Seabed Collector Named One of the Seven Calling Cards of Huxiang Science and Technology Innovation
Sept. 1, 2019China Minmetals 2019 Cruise Completes First Leg of Exploration Tasks
July 15, 2019CRIMM Convenes Strategic Planning Seminar for the Marine Sector
Mar. 18, 2019Research Vessel Xiangyanghong 10 Sets Sail on China Minmetals 2019 Nodule Cruise
Oct. 11, 2018Interoceanmetal Joint Organization (IOM) Delegation Visits CRIMM for Technical Exchange
Sept. 30, 2018China’s First 500-Meter Sea Trial of a Seabed Polymetallic Nodule Collection System Passes Expert Acceptance
July 16, 2018CRIMM Takes Part in China Ocean Voyage 50 Scientific Expedition
Feb. 28, 2018International Joint Research Center for Seabed Mineral Resources Development, Co-Built by CRIMM, Approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology
Dec. 7, 2017CRIMM Holds Summary Meeting for the 2017 China Minmetals Polymetallic Nodule Contract Area Survey Cruise
Dec. 5, 2017China Minmetals’ First International Seabed Survey Voyage, Led by CRIMM, Returns Successfully
Nov. 28, 2017Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey and International Cobalt-Rich Crust Contract Trainees Visit CRIMM
Nov. 28, 2017China Minmetals’ 2018 Work Tasks for International Seabed Contract Area Pass Expert Review
Aug. 29, 2017China Minmetals’ First International Seabed Survey Voyage, Organized by CRIMM, Sets Sail
June 27, 2017Delegation from Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences Visits CRIMM
Apr. 21, 2017CRIMM Signs 2017 Seabed Contract Area Exploration Task Contracts with Second Institute of Oceanography and Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey
Mar. 10, 2017Deep-Sea State Key Laboratory Holds Second Meeting of Its Second Academic Committee in Changsha
Feb. 16, 2017COMRA Deputy Director Kang Jian Visits CRIMM
Jan. 17, 2017Annual Seminar of NSFC Key Project on Deep-Sea Mining Held at Xiangtan University
Dec. 14, 2016Second Institute of Oceanography Director Li Jiabiao Visits CRIMM
Nov. 26, 2016State Oceanic Administration Vice Administrator Sun Shuxian Visits CRIMM
Nov. 23, 2016Polymetallic Nodule Collector Test System and 500-Meter Sea Trial Project Passes Implementation Plan Re-Review
Sept. 14, 2016China Minmetals Seminar on International Seabed Exploration Technology and Contract Area Management Held at CRIMM
Aug. 25, 2016Professor Jerzy Sobota of Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences Visits CRIMM for Technical Exchange
June 6, 2016China’s First Deep-Sea Ore-Lifting System Sea Trial Sets Sail Aboard the Changhe Haiyang
May 5, 2016Trial Ship Changhe Haiyang for China’s First 500-Meter Ore-Lifting Test Successfully Launched
Mar. 27, 2016CRIMM Deep-Sea Mining Ore-Lifting Pump and Pipe System Test Passes Third-Party Verification
Aug. 27, 2015Young Marine Scientists From Four Developing Countries Visit CRIMM
Aug. 25, 2015Sea Trial Outline for Ore-Lifting Pump and Pipe Transport Test System Passes Expert Review
Mar. 4, 2015ISA Secretary-General Odunton Visits CRIMM for Research Exchange
Oct. 9, 2014Consultation Meeting on China Minmetals’ International Seabed Contract Area Application Held in Changsha
Sept. 4, 2014COMRA Director Liu Feng and Delegation Visit CRIMM

Overview

  • Founded in 1955. Registered at 966 Lushan South Road, Changsha, Hunan.
  • A wholly owned subsidiary of China Minmetals Corporation.
  • Its business spans resources and environmental protection, deep-sea mining, new energy and new materials, intelligent manufacturing and science and technology platforms.
  • China Minmetals founded its Deep-Sea Resources Development Committee at CRIMM in April 2026, placing the group’s deep-sea planning function at the institute.
  • In February 2026 CRIMM and Shanghai Jiao Tong University agreed to jointly build a marine heavy equipment and systems technology laboratory.

Equipment and sea trials

  • The Kunlong 500 seabed polymetallic nodule collector was developed under two national ocean program projects approved in 2012. After laboratory acceptance in April 2018, it ran a 49-day sea trial from May 1 to June 18, 2018, working at 500 meters in the South China Sea, China’s first 500-meter trial of a nodule collection system.
  • The two projects passed expert acceptance on September 26, 2018, with scores of 96.2 and 96.4 out of 100.
  • In August 2021 CRIMM organized the 500-meter-class sea trial of China’s first intelligent mixed-transport equipment system for deep-sea mining, the ore-water slurry lifting chain, developed with Dalian University of Technology and nine other institutions.
  • In June 2024 a Hunan provincial major science and technology project on key deep-sea mining equipment passed expert acceptance, and CRIMM showed its deep-sea mining equipment at the China Mining Conference that October.
  • In May 2025 the ISA notified China Minmetals that the environmental impact statement CRIMM had led for a collector vehicle test in Block A-5 of the group’s contract area had passed review by the authority’s Legal and Technical Commission and Council. Minmetals describes it as China’s first approved deep-sea mining test statement.
  • The test was scheduled for October 2025 and did not take place. The group told the ISA in December 2025 that extreme sea conditions had damaged the collector vehicle and prevented its deployment, and that the trial was postponed by one year.
  • In April 2026 CRIMM reported precision sampling and assessment technology for deep-sea polymetallic nodules.

Cruises to the contract area

  • August to December 2017: organized and led China Minmetals’ first international seabed survey voyage.
  • July 2018: took part in the China Ocean Voyage 50 scientific expedition.
  • 2022: the China Ocean Voyage 73 expedition to the contract area returned safely in November.
  • 2024 and 2025: annual cruises to the contract area, the 2025 voyage returning in January 2026.

Ownership

CRIMM is wholly owned by China Minmetals Corporation, the state metals group that holds the ISA exploration contract the institute works under. The group is in turn wholly state-owned through SASAC.

Listed exposure

CRIMM has no listed shares. Exposure to its parent group exists only through China Minmetals’ listed companies, principally MMG Limited (HKEX: 1208), and none of those carries the deep-sea program. The group structure is on the China Minmetals profile.

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