Is seabed mining an economic necessity or a hazard? - BBC News

As deep-sea miners seek international go-ahead, opponents say the environmental impact is too high.

2 days agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Richard BaronImage caption, There is growing interest in mining mineral-rich rocks, such as this, from deep-sea seabedsBy Emma WoollacottBusiness reporterDeep-sea miner Gerard Barron insists that his company's extraction method has little impact on the environment.

His firm, The Metals Company, uses remote-controlled machines the size of trucks "to scoop up rocks sitting on the sea floor".

These rocks are then crushed and processed to release a number of key minerals in high demand for the production of batteries - cobalt, nickel, copper and manganese.

Currently continuing testing work, the Canadian business hopes to get authorisation to start commercial mining in international waters in the north Pacific as early as the end of 2025.

At present such commercial extraction is not allowed by the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the UN body that regulates the seafloor in international waters. However, the ISA and its 169 member states, are due to meet later this year to try to finalise rules that may potentially allow it to start, with a final vote expected within 24 months.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67935057?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

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