Why in News?

A new study, ‘Long-term impact and biological recovery in a deep-sea mining track’, published in Nature, reveals that a section of the Pacific Ocean seabed mined over 40 years ago has not yet recovered.

Conducted by scientists led by Britain’s National Oceanography Centre, the study found long-term sediment changes and a decline in larger marine organisms.

The findings come amid increasing calls for a moratorium on deep-sea mining. Recently, 36 countries attended a UN International Seabed Authority meeting in Jamaica to discuss whether mining companies should be permitted to extract metals from the ocean floor.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Deep Sea Mining
• Key Findings of the Study
• Deep-Sea Mining and Its Future

Deep Sea Mining

• Deep sea mining involves extracting mineral deposits and metals from the ocean’s seabed.
• It is classified into three types:
  • Collecting polymetallic nodules from the ocean floor
  • Mining massive seafloor sulphide deposits
  • Stripping cobalt crusts from underwater rocks
• Significance of Deep Sea Mining
  • These deposits contain valuable materials like nickel, rare earth elements, and cobalt, which are essential for renewable energy technologies, batteries, and everyday electronics such as cellphones and computers.
• Technological Developments in Deep Sea Mining
  • The engineering methods for deep sea mining are still evolving. Companies are exploring:
    • Vacuum-based extraction using massive pumps
    • AI-driven deep-sea robots to selectively pick up nodules
    • Advanced underwater machines to mine materials from underwater mountains and volcanoes
• Strategic Importance
  • Governments and companies see deep sea mining as crucial due to depleting onshore reserves and rising global demand for these critical materials.

Key Findings of the Study

• The study examined the long-term impact of a small-scale mining experiment conducted in 1979 on a section of the Pacific Ocean seafloor.
• The experiment involved removing polymetallic nodules, and scientists analyzed the affected 8-meter strip during an expedition in 2023.
• Key Findings
  • Long-Term Environmental Impact: The mining led to lasting changes in the sediment and a decline in marine organism populations.
  • Partial Recovery Observed: While some areas showed little to no recovery, certain animal groups were beginning to recolonize and repopulate.
• Broader Concerns About Deep Sea Mining
  • Previous studies have warned about negative effects of deep sea mining below 200 meters, including:
    • Harmful noise and vibrations
    • Sediment plumes and light pollution
  • A 2023 study in Current Biology found that deep sea mining significantly reduces animal populations and has a wider ecological impact than previously estimated.
• Significance for Policy and Environmental Debate
  • The study provides crucial data for assessing the long-term effects of deep-sea mining and guiding future regulations by the International Seabed Authority (ISA).
  • Findings suggest that while some marine life begins to recover, full ecosystem restoration remains uncertain and may take decades.
  • The research forms part of the Seabed Mining and Resilience to Experimental Impact (SMARTEX) project, which aims to support informed decision-making on deep-sea mining's societal and ecological implications.

Deep-Sea Mining and Its Future

• The Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ) is a vast, mineral-rich region in the Pacific Ocean, home to unique deep-sea biodiversity and crucial metal resources.
  • CCZ is a vast plain in the North Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and Mexico.
  • It is known to hold large volumes of polymetallic nodules containing minerals used in electric vehicles and solar panels including manganese, nickel, copper, and cobalt.
• Governments and companies are increasingly considering deep-sea mining to meet global demand for critical minerals needed in renewable energy and technology.
• The ISA is currently evaluating whether and under what conditions deep-sea mining should be permitted.