QINGDAO, Aug. 29 -- Chinese oceanographic research ship Xiangyanghong 06 departed from eastern Shandong Province Tuesday, beginning a research expedition in the east Pacific.

The 26 scientists on board will undertake research in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone over the next 90 days.

The expedition was organized by China Minmetals Corporation, which in May became China's first enterprise to sign a contract with the International Seabed Authority to conduct deep-sea mine prospecting.

The corporation plans to conduct research over a 7.2 million-hectare area during the next 15 years to chart trial mining areas.