
Midwater animal biodiversity that could be affected by deep sea mining. Photo credit: E. Goetze, K. Peijnenburg, D. Perrine, Hawaii Seafood Council (B. Takenaka, J. Kaneko), S. Haddock, J. Drazen, B. Robison, DEEPEND (Danté Fenolio) and MBARI.
Interest in deep-sea mining for copper, cobalt, zinc, manganese and other valuable metals has grown substantially in the last decade and mining activities are anticipated to begin soon. A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, led by University of Hawaii at M?noa researchers, argues that deep-sea mining poses significant risks, not only to the area immediately surrounding mining operations but also to the water hundreds to thousands of feet above the seafloor, threatening vast midwater ecosystems. Further, the scientists suggest how these risks could be evaluated more comprehensively to enable society and managers to decide if and how deep-sea mining should proceed.
Currently 30 exploration licenses cover about 580,000 square miles of the seafloor on the high seas and some countries are exploring exploitation in their own water as well. Thus far, most research assessing the impacts of mining and environmental baseline survey work has focused on the seafloor.
However, large amounts of mud and dissolved chemicals are released during mining and large equipment produces extraordinary noise—all of which travel high and wide. Unfortunately, there has been almost no study of the potential effects of mining beyond the habitat immediately adjacent to extraction activities.
“This is a call to all stakeholders and managers,” said Jeffrey Drazen, lead author of the article and UH Manoa’s School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) professor of oceanography. “Mining is poised to move forward yet we lack scientific evidence to understand and manage the impacts on deep pelagic ecosystems, which constitute most of the biosphere. More research is needed very quickly.”
First look at potential threats
The deep midwaters of the world’s ocean represent more than 90 percent of the biosphere, contain 100 times more fish than the annual global catch, connect surface and seafloor ecosystems, and play key roles in climate regulation and nutrient cycles. These ecosystem services, as well as untold biodiversity, could be negatively affected by mining. The paper provides a first look at potential threats to this system.
“Hawaii is situated in the middle of some of the most likely locations for deep-sea mining,” said Drazen. “The current study shows that mining and its environmental impacts may not be confined to the seafloor thousands of feet below the surface but could threaten the waters above the seafloor, too. Harm to midwater ecosystems could affect fisheries, release metals into food webs that could then enter our seafood supply, alter carbon sequestration to the deep ocean, and reduce biodiversity which is key to the healthy function of our surrounding oceans.”
The Latest Updates from Bing News & Google News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Deep sea mining
- Opinion: Contentious deep sea mining code talks enter final stretch
Lockheed’s sudden departure leaves no Western mining contractor with pockets deep enough to finance the billions of dollars needed to launch a seabed mining operation.
- Deep Sea Mining Just Lost Its Biggest Corporate Backer
As activists accuse International Seabed Authority leadership of pushing ocean mining without due diligence, Lockheed Martin is exiting the nascent industry.
- The uncharted waters of deep-sea mining
Europe is preparing to ramp up local mining of critical raw materials, but some say it’s overlooking a far richer source of minerals — the deep sea. The bloc’s climate transition will require vast ...
- Indigenous Peoples From 34 Nations Call For Total Ban On Deep Sea Mining
Addressing the delegates of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) this morning, Hawaiian indigenous speaker and activist Solomon Kaho'ohalahala, offered the delegates a traditional chant and ...
- Row erupts over deep-sea mining as world races to finalise vital regulations
Head of seabed authority accused of abandoning neutrality at critical point with first commercial application imminent ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Deep sea mining
[google_news title=”” keyword=”deep sea mining” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Deep midwaters of the world’s ocean
- The uncharted waters of deep-sea mining
That's prompting calls from mining companies that the EU should be looking elsewhere; more specifically, the bottom of the ocean. Several thousand meters below sea level, the deep-sea bed is scattered ...
- India suits up for deepest dive yet
The influence of James Cameron, the Canadian-American filmmaker, whose cinema has frequently explored the mysteries of the deep ocean ... protect 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030.
- Deep dive: World Water Film Festival wants movies to help save the planet
When is a film festival not just a film festival? When it's trying to use art to save the world. These concurrent events are all fighting for the future, working to secure and preserve a natural ...
- Fisker Ocean price, interior, range, and more
The Ocean is also set to be made from a variety of recycled materials, which Fisker claims makes the car “the world’s most sustainable ... usually be found knee deep in stats the latest ...
- Pink, fuzzy and lurking deep in the ocean — new lobster species is one of 5 just found
Courtesy of the Schmidt Ocean Institute It doesn’t look ... It’s the most unexplored habitat in the world.” Squat lobsters are deep-sea dwellers, according to the study, and are one of ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Deep midwaters of the world’s ocean
[google_news title=”” keyword=”deep midwaters of the world’s ocean” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]