No person or vessel in Antarctica shall--
         (a) drill, dredge or excavate for mineral resources;
         (b) collect any samples of mineral resources; or
         (c) do anything for the purpose of identifying specific mineral resource occurrences or deposits, or areas where such occurrences or deposits may be found,
     except in accordance with a permit issued under this Act:
     Provided that no permit shall be issued for the purposes of this section unless the Committee is satisfied that the activities shall be carried on only for the purposes--
         (a) of scientific research; or
         (b) connected with the construction, maintenance or repair in Antarctica of an Indian station or any other structure, road, runway or jetty maintained by or on behalf of India.
     Explanation.--For the purposes of this section, “mineral resource” means any natural resource that is neither living nor renewable.