Contents
The metals on the ocean floor arouse desire around the world. But there are no rules for dismantling.
The treasure: In the deep sea there are various formations that contain metals. The greatest interest is currently in… Manganese or polymetallic nodules. They occur in deep-sea plains and lie on the bottom, embedded in marine sediment. In addition to manganese and iron, these nodules also contain nickel, copper, cobalt and rare earths. These metals are currently used to build batteries, wind turbines, photovoltaic systems and all kinds of electronics.
The mining: An underwater vehicle is supposed to collect the manganese nodules like a kind of “vacuum cleaner”. The prototype of such an underwater vehicle weighs around 90 tons and was previously used for oil drilling on the seabed. The absorbed tuber-water-sediment mixture would then be pumped up to the escort ship via a long hose, the tubers would be cleaned there, and the water-sediment mixture would be returned to the sea.
The deep sea: This includes the area of the sea that is mostly dark. It starts at around 1000 meters water depth. It’s cold down there, there’s high pressure and there’s very little food. Many organisms feed on plankton and other organic material that sinks downward from the upper layers of water. Nevertheless, an overwhelming variety of highly specialized creatures live down there. Experts estimate that A large majority of all animal species worldwide could live in the deep sea.
The supporters: At the beginning of 2024, Norway was the first European country to give the green light, to start exploring your own deposits. Deep-sea mining is not carried out commercially anywhere today. However, various private companies and states have already carried out degradation tests. Proponents of deep sea mining say: The metals from the deep sea are needed to create the energy transition. In addition, mining on the seabed is more environmentally and socially harmless than mining on the earth’s surface.
The critics: The European Commission and around two dozen countries around the world, including Switzerland, support a moratorium. This requires that commercial licenses for deep-sea mining only be granted once its effects are known in more detail. Scientists warn that… Ecosystems could be damaged far beyond the actual mining areas. It is also questionable whether the metals would actually be needed. The seabed is also an important CO₂ reservoir that could be destroyed by deep sea mining.
The future: The International Seabed Authority should have adopted a binding set of rules on deep sea mining by last summer. However, the member states of this UN-affiliated authority were unable to reach an agreement. Since then, commercial mining could theoretically begin in international waters and also in the territorial waters of individual states. However, experts assume that deep sea mining is currently not economically viable.