Deep Sea Mining: A Green Paradox

By Mollie Amor
December 2020

We know more about the surface of Mars than we do our deep oceans. Yet, we’re already beginning to turn to the deep ocean for the exploitation of natural resources. Deep-seabed mining is the activity of retrieving mineral deposits such as copper, cobalt, nickel and iron from the deep-seabed.

Why? Depleting terrestrial deposits for metals, as well as a rising demand for these metals to produce renewable energy technologies such as batteries for electric cars, has driven growing interest in the deep-sea mining industry. The IPCC state that by 2050, 70-85% of all electricity will need to come from renewable sources in order to limit global warming by 1.5°C.

How do we regulate activity in areas beyond domestic authority?

In the ‘high-seas’ (areas of the open ocean beyond national jurisdiction), the International Seabed Authority (ISA) is the regulatory body responsible for any mineral activities, as well as the protection of the marine environment. So far, focus has been on exploring the deep-sea, to assess the size and extent of mineral deposits available for extraction. The ISA has issued 30 exploration contracts covering 1.3 million km2 of the deep-ocean, and nearly two-thirds of these contracts are held by only seven countries, including China, France, and Russia. Seven contracts are held by three private companies, including DeepGreen (Canada) and UK Seabed Resources (a US-subsidiary).

The ISA are in the process of forming the ‘Mining Code’, which would allow contractors to hold 30-year licenses to mine in ‘claimed areas’ of the international deep-seabed. However, COVID-19 has delayed these meetings and the finalisation of the Mining Code has been pushed back to 2021, with a predicted commencement of widescale deep-sea mining by 2025.

Opponents to deep-sea mining are questioning whether the practice is necessary or even economically viable. By far the strongest argument against deep-sea mining centres on high environmental risks as we know so little about the deep ocean environment.

Environmental Impacts

The environmental impacts of deep-sea mining are still in the investigative stages. Based on the current knowledge of the deep-sea, the key impacts on the biodiversity and ecosystems of the deep-sea include disturbances to the seafloor from the direct removal of resources, eliminating unique fauna, the formation of sediment plumes which may harm filter feeders such as krill and whale sharks, and light, noise, and vibration pollution alongside potential spills of fuel and other toxins. These impacts pose potential risks for biodiversity loss and species extinctions including the disappearance of genetic material that could have pharmaceutical or biotechnical uses in the future.

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Socioeconomic and Cultural Issues

Deep-sea mining is expensive, and there are issues surrounding the industry’s wider economic benefits. The ISA is required by the UN to license international deep-sea mining “for the benefit of mankind as a whole”. The current economic model proposed by the ISA would lead to the mining company receiving around 70% of each mining project’s revenue, with the ISA receiving around 6%. Calculations have suggested that the royalties collected by the ISA would amount to less than US$100,000 per annum per ISA-member country – is this a fair compensation for the transfer of the high sea’s resources from ‘humankind’ to private ownership?

The economies of some countries, including Zambia, Madagascar and Chile, will be vulnerable to the additional metal influx to the market as they heavily rely on the on-land mining of the key metals targeted by deep-sea mining. Papua New Guinea has already lost US$100 million of its investment in failed deep-sea mining projects in its national waters. The ISA has stated that it intends to compensate affected nations if deep-sea mining does commence, however others say that the amount of compensation money that ISA proposes would mean that payment amounts are likely to be very low.

What can be done?

To limit the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining, a better understanding of the habitat is needed to guide mitigation strategies and enforcement of refined regulations. As a result, the DeepSea Conservation Coalition (DSCC), as well as the governments of some nations, are calling for a moratorium on deep-sea mining until proper baseline studies, environmental impact assessments and enhanced regulation are developed.

Deep-sea mining is a sustainability conundrum; both sides declare a commitment to nature. We will have to make a choice: accept lasting damage to our most undiscovered habitat, or compromise with giving up the development of low-carbon technologies. In any case, open dialogue between stakeholders, refined regulation and governance, and prioritising science-informed decision making will be key to navigating these challenges.  

You May Also Be Interested In: The Search for Planet B? How Space Exploration Provides Solutions to Climate Change, The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) - Who Are They? What Do They Do?

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