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The attention being given to the possibilities of finding workanle deposits of detrial heavy minerals in beaches and the nearshore areas of some of the countries, and investigation into the feasibility of mining manganese nodules from the ocean for the content of copper, nickel, cobalt, increased the need for a coordinated regional approach and guidance to the South Pacific countries which had, as yet, legal or no experience in this new activities.

In common with many island of the pacific basin, the Kingdom of Tonga has a limited resource base. With an urbanisation trend, Coupled with an emerging manufacturing sector and expanding tourism industry, natural resource continue to diminish, raising fundamental questions about resource allocation and distribution.