A New Mining Ship Sucks Metals Off The Seafloor. Is That A Good Idea? | Big Business

Summary

Scientists and a Canadian startup, the Metals Company, are exploring deep-sea mining for valuable metals needed for renewable energy technologies. The company claims this method causes less environmental damage than land mining, but environmentalists argue the risks are too high. The debate centers on the potential ecological impact of extracting billions of tons of seafloor nodules, which could provide metals like nickel, cobalt, and manganese, versus the environmental costs of land-based mining.

Takeaways

• 🌊 Scientists are exploring the deep sea to collect valuable metal nodules for renewable energy technologies before the seafloor is mined.
• 🚀 The Metals Company, a Canadian startup, is pioneering the effort to mine these nodules, potentially being the first to do so on a commercial scale.
• 🌍 The Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean is one of the most promising areas for nodule mining, with nearly 20 companies and countries interested.
• 🔍 The mining process involves a large collector vehicle that operates like a vacuum cleaner, sucking up nodules and some sediment from the seafloor.
• 🔬 Environmental concerns are raised by activists and experts, fearing the potential damage to the deep-sea ecosystem, which is home to unique and undiscovered species.
• 🔄 The company plans to build processing centers to refine the nodules into useful metals, aiming to be powered by renewable energy and to recycle battery metals.
• 🏭 Deep-sea mining is presented as a less damaging alternative to land mining, but the long-term environmental impact is still uncertain.
• 🌿 The removal of nodules could disrupt the habitat of deep-sea creatures that rely on these rocks for attachment, potentially causing harm to these species.
• ♻️ There is a debate on whether deep-sea mining would reduce land-based mining or if it would simply add to the overall extraction of metals.
• ⏳ The Metals Company is awaiting permission from the International Seabed Authority to scale up its mining operations, with a planned full-scale operation by 2025.

Q & A

What is the primary goal of deep-sea mining according to the Metals Company?

The primary goal of deep-sea mining by the Metals Company is to extract polymetallic nodules from the ocean floor, which contain valuable metals like nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese that are essential for building electric-car batteries, wind turbines, and solar panels.

What is the environmental concern associated with deep-sea mining?

Environmental activists are concerned that deep-sea mining could disrupt one of the least-explored ecosystems on Earth by kicking up sediment clouds, affecting sea life, and removing nodules that serve as habitat for certain creatures, potentially causing long-term damage to the ocean floor.

How does the Metals Company defend deep-sea mining as being less harmful than land-based mining?

The Metals Company claims that deep-sea mining generates zero waste and tailings, does not risk child labor, and could reduce deforestation and other environmental damage associated with land-based mining in biodiverse regions. However, there is no guarantee that land-based mining would decrease as a result.

How long does it take for a polymetallic nodule to form?

It takes millions of years for polymetallic nodules to form. A layer just a few millimeters thick can take a million years to accumulate.

What are some species found in the deep-sea mining zones?

Recent expeditions have discovered unique species in the deep-sea mining zones, including a never-before-seen octopus, eels, sea cucumbers, and other creatures, some of which are attached to the polymetallic nodules themselves.

What challenges are posed by sediment clouds in deep-sea mining?

Sediment clouds created during deep-sea mining can impact sea life by blocking sunlight and spreading over a wider area. The Metals Company is testing ways to release sediment at the right depth to minimize its impact.

Why is there skepticism about the environmental research funded by the Metals Company?

Critics argue that research funded by the Metals Company may be biased because the company is financially invested in the mining venture. They question whether the research can be trusted if it's paid for by the mining company itself.

What are the potential benefits of processing polymetallic nodules at scale?

The Metals Company plans to build processing centers to melt and refine the polymetallic nodules into valuable metals for renewable energy technologies. The company envisions powering these centers with renewable energy and recycling battery metals in the future.

What is the argument for deep-sea mining over land-based mining?

Proponents of deep-sea mining argue that it could reduce the environmental damage caused by land-based mining, such as deforestation and human rights abuses like child labor. They also claim deep-sea mining generates less waste than land-based operations.

What is the International Seabed Authority's role in deep-sea mining?

The International Seabed Authority is responsible for regulating and granting permissions for deep-sea mining. The Metals Company needs approval from the authority to scale up mining operations, and there is concern about whether this process has been transparent and thorough.