The seafloor holds a wealth of information, and researchers aren’t the only ones racing to descend thousands of meters below sea level. Companies from various sectors have spent years advocating for this technology, arguing that underwater mining could become a key resource in the climate fight. They claim emissions from mining activities would be nearly zero and the impact on people minimal. The minerals recovered would support electric vehicle batteries, solar panels, and even medicines. Yet environmental groups caution about the damage such operations could inflict on marine ecosystems.
Even with broad disagreement, the common thread is clear: there is a substantial information gap that clouds decision making. A report by the Heinrich Böll Foundation warns that underwater mining can disrupt entire ecosystems before researchers even recognize their existence. Biologists and geologists are tirelessly working to fill these gaps and provide a clearer picture for policymakers.
Underwater mining operation agencies
The International Seabed Authority, which regulates activities in international waters, has spent years shaping a code to govern this practice. After multiple delays, General Secretary Michael Lodge indicated the code could be ready in 2025. About 30 exploration licenses have been issued to date, mainly for China, with none yet granted for exploitation.
Experts believe exploitation could begin in the jurisdictional waters of individual nations. Norway has opened public consultations, and similar processes are underway in the Cook Islands or Nauru. A growing view among experts is that deep-sea mining could commence relatively soon, potentially within the current decade. This assessment comes from Francisco Javier González Sanz, a specialist in Geology Applied to Marine Resources and Extreme Environments at the Spanish Institute of Geology and Mining.
Technological progress and risks
González notes major advances in mineral extraction technologies for abyssal plains, located about 7,000 meters below the surface. Trials have already tested equipment and environmental impacts in limited areas, both for the technology itself and for monitoring ecological effects.
Specific impacts on deep-sea species remain uncertain, but there is clear evidence that mining will alter life patterns in these habitats. The seabed has long been one of the planet’s last untouched frontiers, though that status is fading. NGO Oceana outlines several potential scenarios if mining machines arrive: ecosystem destruction, sediment plumes that could smother organisms across kilometers, noise exceeding safe levels, increased water toxicity, and conflicts with fisheries due to microparticle suspension that stresses and disrupts animal communication. The consensus is that some effects could be irreversible.
Environmentalists warn of negative consequences
Mining riches in precious metals for industry
There is a growing catalog of materials expected to lie in the deep sea, including manganese nodules, cobalt-rich crusts, and polymetallic sulphides rich in rare earths, nickel, tellurium, platinum and more. These metals are essential for electric cars, batteries, solar panels, and wind turbines. The deposits on the seabed are polymetallic, offering reserves with unusually high concentrations. The International Energy Agency has noted that lithium demand more than tripled from 2017 to 2022, underscoring the incentive for such resources.
Mining interests have their eyes on the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a vast area between Hawaii and Mexico spanning nearly five million square kilometers. It hosts thousands of species, with estimates suggesting more than 5,500 distinct lifeforms, many still unknown to science. Only a handful exist elsewhere on the planet, highlighting the uniqueness of this ecosystem.
But biodiversity concerns are not the only worry. The Fauna & Flora International warns that climate change could be worsened if the oceans lose their capacity to recycle carbon. Greenpeace emphasizes that the seabed stores blue carbon in living biomass and sediments and plays a crucial role in cooling the planet. The machinery planned for the seabed could release stored carbon, they argue.
Spain’s stance
Spain is among about 20 countries opposing underwater mining, openly calling for a ban. Yet the country is poised to influence the debate if approvals move forward. A leading expert notes that Spain has a strong shipbuilding and marine-usage heritage, which could be a strategic asset if mining proceeds. The focus remains on two key regions: Macaronesia and the Arctic zones around Norway, where data gaps are most pronounced.
Researchers stress that identifying potential mining sites is only part of the task. Authorities must know where data is lacking and where more studies are needed. IGME-CSIC is pursuing additional investigations to transform the Canary Islands into a living lab for geological and biological research on the seafloor. The aim is not only to understand minerals but also geology and the interactions of marine life in these depths.
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Erik Simon Lledó, marine biologist
“The damage at the local level is irreversible.”
A UK expert from the National Oceanography Centre notes that more is known about the Moon than about the ocean floor. He clarifies that he is not for or against underwater mining, but instead works to equip governments with comprehensive information to guide decisions. Questions often asked include: would this mining be more sustainable than terrestrial methods? Could some sustainable practices limit long-term damage? And how valuable is the seabed anyway?
Concerning sustainability, some argue that managed mining could allow recovery of voids and forest regrowth over decades, while others warn that abyssal nodule fields take millions of years to form and serve as essential habitats for many species. The seabed is the deepest, least explored frontier, and antibiotics, among other compounds, are sourced from its organisms. Abyssal plains cover a vast portion of the planet and are far more extensive than many realize. Without ongoing research and responsible practice, our understanding could be forever skewed.
What drives the research is a blend of impact studies and evolving projects. German and American trials from past decades provide a reference for today’s assessments, highlighting that traces left by mining could persist for long periods, with local damage sometimes lasting beyond immediate operations. The critical issue remains whether future activities will preserve ecosystem functions or permanently alter them.
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