The seabed contains a large number of rare metals but there is now a growing concern that mining these precious resources could permanently damage fragile marine systems. In this regard, representatives of the member countries of the International Seabed Authority or ISN held several meetings in Jamaica last month to negotiate the future of deep-sea mining. But despite a week of discussions on a set of rules to regulate the extraction of raw materials from the seabed, many questions remain unanswered.
By 2025, ISA is seeking to define what should be legally binding rules for managing deep-sea mining. Without these rules, no planned mining operation can be started. Discussions have been going on for years but this latest debate has made it clear how divisive the new rules remain, especially when it comes to underwater monitoring and environmental damage prevention issues. Several states, including Germany, Brazil and the Pacific-island nation of Palau, have said they will not agree to new regulations until their environmental impact is fully assessed. Countries such as China, Norway, Japan and the microstate of Nauru in the Central Pacific have pushed for an urgent agreement, so that mining companies can put their plans into action.
India, China, Germany and South Korea already have licenses to explore for polymetallic sulphides in the Indian Ocean ridge area.
In 2022, India’s National Institute of Ocean Technology conducted tests of its mining rig at a depth of 5,270 meters in the central Indian Ocean basin and collected some polymetallic nodules, potato-shaped rocks that lie on the seafloor and are rich in manganese, cobalt, nickel and copper. But its chances are less. Of the 169 countries represented in the ISA, 32 are now in favour of completely suspending or even banning deep-sea mining. This position is supported by environmental organizations and many marine scientists. However, Canadian startup The Metals Company has already announced that it plans to submit an application to the ISA for commercial deep-sea mining in the coming months.
When it comes to deep sea mining, the focus then is mainly on manganese nodules and other minerals found on the sea floor outside territorial waters. These are commonly called the high seas and account for more than half of the world’s oceans. These areas have been classified as a common heritage of mankind. Raw materials belong to everyone, not to a single particular country. Management and monitoring of any potential mining activities in these areas will be the responsibility of ISA, as stipulated in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Many countries and corporations are interested in the commercial potential of deep-sea mining. The ISA has so far issued 31 exploration licenses for certain areas, five of which have gone to Chinese companies. But several other countries, including Germany, India and Russia, are also exploring the seabed. Mining companies are particularly interested in polymetallic nodules. They are also known as manganese nodules. These potato-sized lumps, formed by sedimentation over millions of years, are composed primarily of manganese, cobalt, copper and nickel - raw materials that are a key component in electric car batteries.
As the world transitions to renewable energy, the International Energy Agency expects demand for these metals to double by 2040. The ocean floor known as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in Mexico and Hawaii contains large amounts of manganese nodules. Mining companies aim to harvest from depths between 4,000 and 6,000 meters with automated vacuum robots and bring them to the surface with hoses, but this risks huge environmental damage. Because manganese nodules and mineral crusts are not dead rocks - they are an important habitat for many marine organisms.
According to marine scientists, more than 5,000 different species, some of which have not been researched, make these extremely remote areas their home. At such depth, the situation is extremely scary. Sunlight is non-existent and the water pressure is 100 times greater than at sea level. Because of that, the seabed ecosystem - and the species that are adapted to living in these conditions - are extremely fragile. The mining robots, which cut across vast expanses in their search for manganese nodules, will destroy the ocean floor and absorb countless sea creatures. Marine life found kilometers away from these mining areas will also be disturbed by light and noise pollution as well as distant clouds of sediment. Fishing in mining areas could be permanently disrupted.
Marine scientists have warned that deep-sea mining without adequate knowledge of the potential consequences could be devastating to biodiversity and as-yet-little-known marine ecosystems. Necessary research may take another 10 to 15 years, as this area is very difficult to access.