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The Cook Islands (South Pacific) experience in governance of seabed manganese nodule mining

The Cook Islands (CI), South Pacific, has one of the highest ratios of ocean to land area of any ocean island state in the world. Within it's EEZ exist abundant resources of seabed manganese nodules, thought to be the fourth richest resource of its type in the world, with a potential theoretical monetary value of c. $10 trillion US. The largely hydrogenetic nodules are rich in Ti, REE, Mn, Co and Ni. Economic studies suggest that a single twenty year-long mining operation could generate c. 150 jobs directly supporting 15% (c. $43M US) of the CI GDP.

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Fuel company Pacific Energy has built concrete casings around the exposed fuel pipeline by Avatiu harbour, to lessen the risk of another lead.It comes as authorities investigate who was at fault in this month’s big diesel lead into the harbour, with potential fines of up to half a million dollars

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Manihiki has banned the transportation of reef fish to Rarotonga for sale.The ban has angered a fish merchant at Punanga Nui market who is threatening to challenge the decision in court...Manihiki mayor Ngamata Tangi Napara, with the support of the island’s council, set in place the ban last week