The recent loss of the Titan deep-sea submersible reminds us how little we know of the ocean. But deep-sea battery mineral mining is coming closer, according to a July 3, 2023 article in Washington Post. “We’re constantly finding new stuff. It’s a little bit premature to start mining the deep sea, when we don’t really understand the biology, the environments, the ecosystems or anything else” warns specialist biologist Christopher Kelley.
Principles of Mining Deep-Sea Battery Mineral Resources
We should understand the technology first, regardless of our take on the matter. Deep sea mining, as Washington Post explains, involves removing mineral deposits and metals from the ocean seabed. There are three methods to go about this, and they currently are:
- Mining massive seafloor sulfide deposits from where they lie.
- Removing deposit-rich polymetallic nodules off the ocean floor.
- Stripping cobalt crusts from the surface of rocks on the seabed.
U.S Accountability Office is concerned these processes may have longer-lasting environmental impacts. The consequential sediment clouds may contain toxic heavy metals, spread over long distances, settle, and then destroy seabed habitats of ocean life.
However proponents of ocean mining point out the necessity of retrieving these deep-sea battery mineral resources, in order to ensure a steady supply of key battery materials critical for the green energy transition, and other purposes.
A Major Gap in the Regulatory Effort to Manage This
The United Nations Convention of the Law of the Seas governs the high seas on the surface, and the ocean floor below. While individual countries manage their own maritime territory, and exclusive economic zones according to their priorities.
The United Nations Convention officially applies to all states, regardless of whether they have signed or ratified it. However, the lines are blurred when it comes to protecting this common heritage of mankind, and sharing economic benefits while protecting marine environments.
There appears to be no generally accepted code of practice. Meanwhile, 30 countries have already granted more than 30 exploration licenses in the deep sea. The International Seabed Authority is trying to catch up. In the meantime perhaps we should ask, where did the minerals in my battery come from?
More Information
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Deep Sea Mining Report by U.S. Government Accountability Office
