Articles tagged with "deep-sea-mining"
Deep-sea mining dilemma: Powering green tech at the cost of ocean life
The article discusses the complex dilemma posed by deep-sea mining, particularly the extraction of polymetallic nodules from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the Pacific Ocean. These nodules, rich in critical metals like nickel, copper, and manganese, are essential for manufacturing batteries and renewable energy technologies, with global demand expected to surge by 2040. Proponents argue that harvesting these nodules could stabilize supply chains and reduce reliance on environmentally damaging and ethically problematic land-based mining. The mining process involves a sophisticated system operating 4,000 meters below the ocean surface, using a robotic collector to vacuum nodules from the seafloor, which are then transported to the surface for processing. However, scientists and environmentalists warn that deep-sea mining could irreversibly damage fragile ecosystems that have developed over millions of years. The seabed habitats, including newly discovered species like the gelatinous "gummy squirrel" sea cucumber, depend on the nodules for survival.
energymaterialsdeep-sea-miningpolymetallic-noduleselectric-vehiclesrenewable-energybattery-materialsShould We Sacrifice The Seabed Floor For Next Generation Technology? - CleanTechnica
The article from CleanTechnica discusses the environmental and ethical concerns surrounding deep sea mining, particularly in light of recent U.S. government actions promoting the practice despite international prohibitions. Deep sea mining targets polymetallic nodules on the ocean floor, which contain valuable minerals like lithium, cobalt, copper, nickel, manganese, and rare earth elements essential for modern technologies such as electric vehicles, wind turbines, and medical devices. However, these nodules are home to unique and poorly understood marine ecosystems, including bioluminescent animals and species adapted to oxygen-minimum zones. Mining these nodules would destroy these fragile habitats, raising significant ecological concerns. The article highlights the tension between technological and economic interests and the need to protect the ocean’s last largely untouched frontier. While the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) provides a legal framework for ocean governance and emphasizes the protection of marine environments for present and future generations, the Trump administration has pushed forward with mining initiatives under an older
energydeep-sea-miningrare-earth-elementslithiumcobaltelectric-vehicleswind-turbinesTrump administration may sell deep-sea mining leases at startup’s urging
robotdeep-sea-miningautonomous-vehiclescritical-mineralsenvironmental-impactunderwater-technologyresource-extraction