A Canadian-based mining company is currently laying aggressive plans to secure a permit from the Trump administration to conduct commercial deep-sea mining operations in the Clarion-Clipperton zone. This latest decision has caused a huge uproar. This region is located in the western Pacific Ocean, between the North American continent and the islands of Hawaii. It is rich in critical minerals – including cobalt, nickel and manganese – which are found thousands of meters beneath the ocean’s surface. To date, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) has issued 17 contracts for seabed exploration – an area more than five times the size of Spain. This recent act has brought unprecedented concerns over the environmental, legal, and ethical implications that are involved.
A potential breach of international law has experts alarmed if the U.S. permit is approved. High seas legal authority Duncan Currie warned that these kinds of interventions could violate treaty-based regulations meant to defend high seas common-heritage resources. At the same time, environmental advocates say that the dangers of deep-sea mining far exceed the possible advantages.
Deep-sea mining is the extraction of sea floor minerals, mainly polymetallic nodules, that lie on the ocean floor about 4,000 meters beneath the ocean’s surface. This practice has been met with urgent concern from scientists and conservationists alike who have long warned about the ecological fragility of deep-sea environments.
The Riches of the Deep
The Clarion-Clipperton zone is a veritable goldmine of minerals necessary for new technology and the renewable energy future. According to Rick Valenta, director of the Sustainable Minerals Institute at the University of Queensland, this area covers nearly 80 percent of Australia’s landmass, with licensed mining zones equivalent to Tasmania’s size.
“The size of one license is larger than the total combined footprint of all land-based mining.” – Rick Valenta
This huge, unexplored swath of the planet not only provides for our deep-sea species neighbors, but offers a unique ecosystem fostered by these polymetallic nodules. Recent studies have identified about 300 species of deep-sea annelids, or worms, living in the sediment of the Clarion-Clipperton zone.
Dr. Patricia Esquete, a deep-sea ecologist, noted that “there’s a lot of species that depend directly or indirectly on the nodules to live because they live on top, underneath or around the nodules.” Photo credits: NSF/Lynn Cooley Her research shows that once these nodules become mined, entire ecosystems can come crashing down.
Environmental Concerns Mount
Deep-sea mining opponents argue that the environmental consequences of this practice are fundamentally ruinous. Phil McCabe of the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition has been an activist on the frontlines of mining opposition for decades. He contends that any action that risks undermining the prospects for peace and security should be done with the utmost restraint.
“What we know about the current iteration of what deep-sea mining would look like, it’s inherently destructive.” – Phil McCabe
These environmental impacts go well beyond just deploying additional habitat. Until that point, some experts have cautioned that mining operations would irreversibly interfere with highly complex ecosystems that are not yet fully understood. Dr. Esquete was quick to point out that research in these spaces is still in its “infancy.” He cautioned that the choices we make today will have long reaching effects.
“We’re doing it little by little … we cannot pretend to understand an ecosystem that we haven’t been studying for a long time.” – Dr. Patricia Esquete
Conservation groups are calling for urgent action. They’re calling for a global moratorium on deep-sea mining until further independent studies can be conducted. Samantha Climie of Look Down Action said she was particularly disappointed that Australia didn’t take any proactive steps in this way.
“I was quite disappointed in Australia that we haven’t really done anything.” – Samantha Climie
Legal and Ethical Implications
The legal landscape surrounding deep-sea mining is indeed complicated and riddled with ambiguity. As former U.S. space negotiator Duncan Currie has explained, a unilateral move by any country to mine these shared resources could breach international treaties.
“The deep sea and the minerals belong to everyone … and so one country cannot go there and expropriate the minerals and keep them for themselves.” – Duncan Currie
Currie pointed out that part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) provides a useful framework. This set of guidelines are designed to govern conduct in the high seas/international waters. He argues that this provision remains as binding customary international law. It is of paramount importance to assess the state of international governance before proceeding with any mining.
Alongside the legal issues, there are socio-cultural aspects related to deep-sea mining. Jonathan Mesulam noted that some of these communities have deep spiritual attachments to the ocean. This link highlights the importance of facilitating inclusive conversations that center indigenous and local communities who are impacted by extraction endeavors like these.
“Some of the people are totally connected to the ocean where we have our culture.” – Jonathan Mesulam
The Way Forward
As discussions about deep-sea mining continue to unfold, many stakeholders call for a balanced approach that prioritizes scientific research and ecological preservation over immediate economic gain. As advocates have stated, spending the time to develop knowledge of these relatively new ecosystems will provide a greater basis for informed decision-making.
Canadian mining entrepreneur Gerard Barron believes we need to put the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining up against land-based alternatives. Such a comparison would offer important clues to understanding recovery rates and achieving ecological equilibrium.
“We are much better off to take some time and gather the scientific knowledge and understanding that enables proper evidence-based decisions around it.” – Gerard Barron
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