A rush is on to mine the deep seabed, with effects on ocean life that aren't well understood

Manganese nodules on the Atlantic Ocean floor off the southeastern United States, discovered in 2019 during the Deep Sea Ventures pilot test. Credit: National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
August 19, 2020
sprep-pa

Mining the ocean floor for submerged minerals is a little-known, experimental industry. But soon it will take place on the deep seabed, which belongs to everyone, according to international law. Seabed mining for valuable materials like copper, zinc and lithium already takes place within countries' marine territories. As soon as 2025, larger projects could start in international waters—areas more than 200 nautical miles from shore, beyond national jurisdictions.

Original Article

deep sea mining
marine ecosystems
marine species
oceans
environmental impact
seabed minerals