Seabed mining is being considered by the United Nations (UN) body that regulates the world’s seabed.
Indeed, the International Seabed Authority is set to resume negotiations that could open the international seabed to mining, including for critical materials for the green energy transition.
Years of negotiations have reached a critical point where the authority will soon have to start accepting applications for mining permits, adding to concerns about potential impacts on understudied marine ecosystems and deep sea habitats.
Deep sea mining involves removing deposits of minerals and metals from the seabed: polymetallic nodules, massive sulphides and cobalt crusts from rock.
These nodules, deposits, and crusts contain materials, such as nickel, rare earths, cobalt, and more, that are needed for batteries and other materials used to harness renewable energy as well as everyday technologies like cell phones. and computers.
The engineering and technology used for deep sea mining is still evolving. Some companies are looking to suck up material from the seabed using pumps, while others are developing artificial intelligence-based technology that would teach deep-sea robots how to dig up nodules from the ground.
Countries manage their own maritime territory and exclusive economic zones, while the high seas and international seabed are governed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. whether or not they have signed or ratified it.
Under the terms of the treaty, the seabed and its mineral resources are considered the common heritage of mankind which must be managed in such a way as to protect the interests of mankind through the sharing of economic benefits, the support of marine scientific research and protection of marine environments.
Mining companies interested in deep sea mining partner with countries to help them secure exploration licenses. More than 30 exploration licenses have been issued so far, with activity mostly concentrated in an area called the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone, which spans 4.5 million square kilometers between Hawaii and Mexico.
Only a small portion of the deep seabed has been explored and conservationists fear that ecosystems could be damaged by mining, especially without any environmental protocols.
Mining damage can include noise, vibration and light pollution, as well as possible leaks and spills of fuels and other chemicals used in the mining process.
Additionally, sediment plumes from certain mining processes are a major concern. Once valuable materials have been extracted, plumes of muddy sediment are sometimes released into the sea. This can harm filter-feeding species like corals and sponges, and could interfere with some living organisms.
The scale of the implications for deep-sea ecosystems is unclear, but scientists have warned that biodiversity loss is inevitable and potentially irreversible.
The International Seabed Authority’s Legal and Technical Commission, which oversees the development of deep-sea mining regulations, is due to meet over the next few days to discuss the draft mining code, which is not not yet drafted. Mining could start in 2026 at the earliest. Mining applications must be reviewed and environmental impact assessments must be carried out.
Some companies, like Google, Samsung, BMW and others, have backed the WWF’s call for a pledge to avoid using minerals mined from the world’s oceans. More than a dozen countries, including France, Germany and several Pacific island nations, have officially called for a ban, pause or moratorium on deep sea mining at least until environmental safeguards are in place. Other countries, such as Norway, are proposing to open their waters to mining.