‘Gold rush’ warning over plans to mine treasured metals in deep sea

Controversial proposals to mine treasured metals within the deep sea are being mentioned at key worldwide talks.

Environmental teams warn a “gold rush” to extract minerals from the seabed could be catastrophic for the marine atmosphere.

But mining firms argue that cobalt, nickel and different metals are crucial within the race to web zero – and eradicating them from the deep ocean would trigger much less injury than sourcing them on land.

The talks, on the International Seabed Authority (ISA) in Jamaica, have added urgency as a result of a ban on deep sea mining expired earlier this month, permitting firms to use for a industrial licence although there isn’t a code in place to control actions.

The Metals Company, a Canadian mining firm, confirmed to Sky News that it plans to submit paperwork to start extracting minerals from the deep ocean abyss close to the Pacific island of Nauru.

Gerard Barron, the corporate’s CEO, stated: “It’s right for people to be cautious.

“If you have a look at the land-based mining business it hasn’t had an incredible document, however this can be a very completely different useful resource.

“If we apply the simple logic that we should carry out extractive industries in parts of the planet where there is the least life, not the most life, then this would be the perfect place to collect metals for batteries.”

The minerals are concentrated in rocky lumps which are scattered throughout the seabed round 2.5 miles beneath the floor of the Pacific Ocean.

But scientists from the Natural History Museum despatched robotic submersibles right down to the seabed earlier this yr and located a rare number of life. Some creatures had been bodily connected to the mineral nodules.

The researchers estimate there might be 8,000 beforehand undescribed species residing on the seabed.

Dr Adrian Glover, who was a part of the expedition, instructed Sky News: “At least 80% of the things that we bring up don’t have names.

“We know roughly what they’re, for instance is it a form of a sea cucumber, mollusc, a crustacean or shrimp or one thing like that?

“But they’re a new species to science.”

Some international locations, together with France, are calling for a moratorium on mining within the deep ocean.

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The UK can be cautious, however hasn’t dominated out mining in future.

A authorities spokesperson stated: “We recognise the growing pressure to extract deep-sea resources and are concerned about the potential impacts of mining activities on the fragile marine environment.

“This is why the UK will preserve its precautionary and conditional place of not sponsoring or supporting the issuing of any exploitation licences for deep sea mining initiatives until and till there may be adequate scientific proof concerning the potential influence on deep sea ecosystems, and robust enforceable environmental laws, requirements and pointers have been developed by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and are in place.”

But Ariana Densham, of Greenpeace UK, said the government should take a stand.

She said: “It must get off the fence and actively search safeguards in opposition to the true risk that deep sea mining might begin as early as this yr.

“That means joining the growing list of governments already calling for a moratorium – at this stage anything else would be completely reckless.”