Deep Sea Mining

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A growing number of countries are calling to delay plans to strip-mine the seabed for metals to make electric car batteries as US defense giant Lockheed Martin Corp., the biggest corporate player in deep sea mining, exits the nascent industry.

Last week’s sale of Lockheed’s UK Seabed Resources subsidiary to Norwegian startup Loke Marine Minerals was announced just as the United Nations-affiliated organization tasked with regulating deep sea mining kicked off a conference in Jamaica. The International Seabed Authority(ISA) is meeting to hit a July deadline for approving regulations that would allow unique deep ocean ecosystems to be mined as soon as 2024. Tensions at the conference are rising as scientists, lawyers and activists charge the Authority’s administrative arm, known as the Secretariat, with pushing a pro-mining agenda. Last week, some of the ISA’s 167 member nations accused ISA Secretary-General Michael Lodge of overstepping his role as a neutral administrator.

More:

Deep Sea Mining Loses its Biggest Corporate Backer

By Todd Woody (Bloomberg) — A growing number of countries are calling to delay plans to strip-mine the seabed for metals to make electric car batteries as US defense giant Lockheed Martin Corp.,...
gcaptain.com
 
Great news! At this point of the game I'm on the side of the sea bed verses some dumbass human project.
 
I wonder what kind of impact large scale strip mining of the ocean floor might have on the ocean ecosystem. It sounds like it would be disruptive, but I'm not familiar with how the tech/process works.
 

UN To Start Taking Deep-Sea Mining Applications This July​

April 2, 2023

(Reuters) – The International Seabed Authority will start accepting applications in July from companies that want to mine the ocean’s floor, a decision that came after the U.N. body spent the past two weeks debating standards for the new and controversial practice.

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UN To Start Taking Deep-Sea Mining Applications This July

(Reuters) – The International Seabed Authority will start accepting applications in July from companies that want to mine the ocean’s floor, a decision that came after the U.N. body spent the past two...
gcaptain.com
 
From the link:

Global shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk is reportedly selling its stake in The Metals Company (TMC), a leading deep-sea mining firm, as the legal process to permit seabed mining nears completion.

Maersk’s interest in TMC has fallen below 2.3%, with the company planning to sell all remaining shares, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. The shipping company had a 9% stake in TMC in 2021 and has been an investor since 2017, the report said.

Maersk Divesting Stake in Deep-Sea Miner The Metals Company Amid Legalization Process - Report

Global shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk is reportedly selling its stake in The Metals Company (TMC), a leading deep-sea mining firm, as the legal process to permit seabed mining nears completion....
gcaptain.com
 

Deep sea mining permits may be coming soon. What are they and what might happen?​

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — The International Seabed Authority — the United Nations body that regulates the world's ocean floor — is preparing to resume negotiations that could open the international seabed for mining, including for materials critical for the green energy transition.

Years long negotiations are reaching a critical point where the authority will soon need to begin accepting mining permit applications, adding to worries over the potential impacts on sparsely researched marine ecosystems and habitats of the deep sea.

More here:

Deep sea mining permits may be coming soon. What are they and what might happen?

The International Seabed Authority — the United Nations body that regulates the world's ocean floor — is preparing to resume negotiations that could open the international seabed for mining, including for materials critical for the green energy transition. Years long negotiations are reaching a...
finance.yahoo.com
 

INTERVIEW: Deep-sea mining key to energy transition: Impossible Metals​

The mining of deep-sea mineral resources is set to become a crucial source of battery metals for the global energy transition no matter what the outcome of this month's meeting of the International Seabed Authority in Kingston Jamaica, the CEO of deep-sea technology company Impossible Metals told S&P Global Commodity Insights in an interview.

Following the passing of the procedural deadline for the adoption of a deep-sea mining code on July 9, the ISA, the UN-backed organization tasked with regulating ocean floor exploration and mining activities in international waters, is to resume negotiations this week.

Read it all here:

INTERVIEW: Deep-sea mining key to energy transition: Impossible Metals

Company developing deep sea extracting, processing methods Deep sea mining now inevitable: CEO Company engaging with scientific community The mining of deep sea mineral resources is set to become a cr
www.spglobal.com
 
Norway may become the first country to start commercial deep sea mining, if parliament approves a government proposal to open an offshore area larger than the United Kingdom, despite international calls for a global moratorium.

Parliament is set to discuss the government’s bill this autumn.

Explainer: Why does Norway want to mine the seabed?

Some Norwegian companies that provide technology and services to the oil industry are looking at deep sea mining as well.
www.mining.com
 

More:

Deep-sea mining and warming trigger stress in a midwater jellyfish: Study investigates effects of sediment plumes

The deep sea is home to one of the world's largest communities of animals about which we still know very little. Yet it is already subject to a growing number of human-induced environmental pressures. How do its inhabitants respond to these stressors?
phys.org
 

A showdown over deep sea mining is taking place in the Pacific​

Activists from Greenpeace International have boarded a ship that is conducting deep sea mining research in the Pacific Ocean, vowing to occupy the vessel until it abandons the expedition.

It's the latest collision between a nascent industry intent on mining the seabed for minerals potentially worth trillions of dollars, and environmentalists and scientists who warn that doing so would irreparably harm biodiverse deep sea ecosystems.

More:

A showdown over deep sea mining is taking place in the Pacific

Activists from Greenpeace International have boarded a ship that is conducting deep sea mining research in the Pacific Ocean, vowing to occupy the vessel until it abandons the expedition.
phys.org
 
OSLO, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Norway's minority government and two opposition parties have agreed to allow seabed mineral exploration in the Arctic region, they said on Tuesday, in a key step towards full-scale ocean mining.

The deal comes as Norway hopes to become the first country to make deep-sea mining happen on a commercial scale and secure critical minerals and jobs despite concerns over the environmental impact and international calls for a moratorium.

Norway parliament deal marks major step towards seabed mining

Norway's minority government and two opposition parties have agreed to allow seabed mineral exploration in the Arctic region, they said on Tuesday, in a key step towards full-scale ocean mining.
www.reuters.com
 
This one made me smile. Who the hell do these people think they are? Kinda hard to tell another country that has an army, navy, air force and nukes what they can or can't do on the open sea. Maybe better to beat them at their own game? Treaty?

Lawmakers urge Department of Defense to address Chinese seabed mining​

(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of Defense is being urged by members of Congress to develop a national security plan to address China’s interest and investments in seabed mining.

Virginia Rep. Rob Wittman, vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, led over two dozen legislators including fellow Virginia Rep. Jen Kiggans in sounding the alarm on China’s involvement in mining critical resources, such as nickel, cobalt, lithium, manganese and zinc from the seabed.

In a letter addressed to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, the representatives urge the Pentagon to address the “national security ramifications of the Chinese Communist Party’s” investment and interest in seabed mining, which they say China dominates up to 95% of the global supply chains for most critical mineral resources.

In addition, the representatives say China services most of the world’s processing capabilities to develop the materials into products “crucial to U.S. weapons systems.”

More:

 
Sounds like a real race to the bottom.
 
From the link:

Deep-sea mining is one reason to expand the claim, according to maritime law expert Prof. James Kraska.

"The US continental shelf has some 50 hard minerals required for the New Economy," said Kraska, a professor of international maritime law at the US Naval War College. "[It] contains nodules rich in strategic minerals and rare earth elements needed for everything from green energy to the semiconductors that drive Artificial Intelligence. The US announcement on the US extended continental shelf (ECS) highlights American strategic interests in securing these hard minerals."

White House Adds Nearly 400,000 Square Miles to U.S. Continental Shelf

Last week, the White House added nearly 250 million acres to the United States' maritime claims, completing the largest administrative expansion s...
maritime-executive.com
 
^^^^^^^

Russia Lambasts 'Unacceptable' US Claims to Arctic Shelf​

Russia Lambasts 'Unacceptable' US Claims to Arctic Shelf

MOSCOW, December 24 (Sputnik) - Russia is taking all necessary measures to meet its national interests in the Arctic, Grigory Karasin, head of the foreign affairs committee of Russia's upper house of parliament, told Sputnik on Sunday.
sputnikglobe.com
 

Deep-sea miners are ready to get down to work

In 2024 the International Seabed Authority will either publish its rules, or companies will decide to go ahead without it
www.economist.com
 
Business Insider

Norway is gearing up to mine precious metals from the depths of its ocean in a world first​

  • Norway is set to become the first country to move forward with deep-sea mining in its waters.
  • The move is controversial as it could pose a risk to marine environments.
  • Industry experts don't expect deep-sea mining to start before at least the early 2030s.
Norway is set to become the first country to open its seas to commercial deep-sea mining, despite concerns about the industry's potential to destroy marine life.

More:

 
Article from a Norwegian newspaper. When I clicked on to it I had to hit "translate" to read it in English. Hopefully the link will be in English.

Vil fortsette kampen

Tirsdag voterte Stortinget over åpning av kommersiell gruvedrift. Utenfor runget buing fra over 100 demonstranter.
journalen.oslomet.no
 

Deep-sea mining could enhance climate change, a new study indicates.​

Scientists from Norway and The United Kingdom surveyed animals living at 17 different sites on the Barents Sea floor and found that they are storing a far larger amount of carbon than previously believed.

Seafloor creatures extract carbon from the surrounding water to grow. Once they die, their shells and skeletons are buried in the ground of the ocean, permanently locking away much of the carbon they contain. By disturbing or destroying these habitats, deep sea mining and trawling could reduce the oceans’ natural ability to remove carbon from the atmosphere and thereby act as a brake on climate change, the study led by UiT researcher Terri Souster found.

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From 2019

Deep sea mining: Into the deep | 60 Minutes Archive​

Mar 22, 2024

Rare earth elements and metals used to make cellphones, supercomputers and more are sitting on the ocean floor, ready to be mined by multiple countries. In 2019, Bill Whitaker reported on the promise of deep sea mining.

13:24
 
^^^^^^
Mar 13, 2024

Picking up Nickel, Cobalt & Copper from the Ocean Floor | The Metals Company $TMC Stock​

Talking with the CFO of The Metals Company about Nodule Mining, the new form of metals collection where nodules full of nickel, cobalt, manganese, copper and other metals are collected from the sea floor!

9:42

00:00 – Intro
00:18 – Nodule Mining
02:40 – Why Nodules Are Needed for Decarbonization
05:26 – Why The Metals Company is using a Proven Concept
 

U.S. fails to ratify ocean mining treaty; other countries rush toward underwater riches​

Mar 25, 2024

Countries that ratified the U.N.'s Law of the Sea treaty are diving into plans for deep sea mining, but Republican holdouts in the U.S. torpedoed U.S. efforts to join in.

13:01
 

Expert scoping workshop on charting future horizons: harnessing advanced technologies for the protection and sustainable use of the international seabed area - International Seabed Authority

ANOTATED AGENDA | INFORMATION NOTE The International Seabed Authority (ISA) is convening an expert scoping workshop on charting future horizons: harnessing advanced technologies for the protection and sustainable use of the international seabed area, from 3-5 April 2024 in Porto, Portugal, in...
www.isa.org.jm

The ISA was mentioned in post #20 as a global authority that might set rules on deep sea mining. Looks like they are not aiming to restrict the activity.
 

Seabed Mining Officially Banned in All Hawaiian Waters​

New bill just signed into law protects 3069 square miles of Pacific Ocean

In a bit of positive environmental news, Hawai‘i Governor Josh Green signed a new bill into law yesterday, officially banning seabed mining in all Hawaiian waters. The move is meant to protect the state’s territorial waters, home to humpback whales, monk seals, manta rays, and economically important tuna fisheries, just to name a few.

What is seabed mining? It's basically a way recover minerals from the bottom of the ocean. While it's been advocated as a lower impact alternative to land-based mining (which is objectively destructive), it poses an ecological risk to the marine ecosystem, thus why this new law is so important. Studies have found seabed mining creates large sediment plumes and increased levels of toxins, at the very least.

More:

 

Exclusive: India to seek licences to scout Pacific Ocean for critical minerals​

  • India to speed up search for minerals in international waters
  • New Delhi awaits two more exploration permits for Indian Ocean
  • India to develop technical know-how for deep-sea mining
NEW DELHI, July 22 (Reuters) - India will apply for licenses to explore for deep-sea minerals in the Pacific Ocean as it competes to secure supplies of minerals critical for energy transition technologies, a top government scientist told Reuters.

The UN-backed International Seabed Authority (ISA) has issued 31 deep-sea exploration licenses, including two for India in the Indian Ocean, but is yet to allow mining because the 36-member body is still working on regulations.

More:

 

Companies dig the deepest depths to mine valuable metals from the ocean floor​

Sep 17, 2024

Mankind has mined the earth’s surface for thousands of years. Now there’s a furious race to find even more metal that will enable the world’s energy transition away from fossil fuels. In Papua New Guinea, one company is digging what may become the world’s first operational deep-sea mining site. Videographer Edward Kiernan and special correspondent Willem Marx report.

19:25
 

Papua New Guinea locals concerned over deep-sea mining's impact on culture and environment​

Sep 18, 2024

The companies that create technology used on a daily basis often run into traditional cultures and the environment that sustains them. In a previous report, videographer Edward Kiernan and special correspondent Willem Marx introduced us to the new and potentially lucrative industry of deep-sea mining. They return to Papua New Guinea and report on locals fighting to save a vanishing way of life.

10:26
 

Trump Is the Best News for Deep Sea Mining – The Metals Company CEO​

Jan 31, 2025 #Trump #TMC #DeepSeaMining

Shares of The Metals Company (Nasdaq: TMC) surged in January as anticipation grows for deep-sea mining support under the Trump administration.

In this exclusive interview, TMC CEO Gerard Barron tells MINING.COM host Devan Murugan why Trump’s victory is the "best news" for the deep-sea mining industry. Barron highlights how the administration’s focus on domestic mineral production could be a game changer for critical mineral security.

Meanwhile, TMC, in partnership with the Republic of Nauru, is set to submit its first mining application on June 27, ahead of the International Seabed Authority’s (ISA) second meeting in July. The ISA is also scheduled to meet in March to discuss seabed mining regulations.

12:21
 
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