Activists warn world is moving toward Pacific for deep-sea mining

The Deep Sea Mining Campaign has warned that species such as sperm whales could be adversely affected if nodule mining is allowed in the Pacific Ocean.
photo: William

Countries around the world are rushing to mine in the Pacific Ocean, an anti-seabed mining advocate says.

The International Seabed Authority (ISA) Council is currently meeting in Kingston, Jamaica, to continue developing mining rules.

The ISA conference will be held next week.

Metals Chief Executive Gerard Barron told Reuters he planned to apply for a mining licence in the Clarion Clipperton Zone through Nauru this year, after the so-called two-year rule was implemented.

A provision of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, once triggered, means that if regulations are not put in place within two years, mining licenses can be issued under existing rules.

Nauru triggered the rule in 2021, which had expired in July last year.

Deep Sea Conservation AlliancePhil McCabe said he believed the true severity of the ISA’s decision had not yet been fully appreciated.

He said mining could start to become unregulated in 2026.

“There is a train full of people from all over the world heading toward the Pacific Ocean, and if it doesn’t stop, it will sink into the Pacific Ocean in one to three years,” McCabe said.

More and more countries and regions are calling for a moratorium on deep-sea mining.

American Samoa Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga signed an executive order Thursday imposing a moratorium on deep-sea mining.

The order states that any mining or exploration activities related to the extraction of minerals from the seabed are prohibited.

However, the governor said the moratorium would not prevent the collection of nodules for educational or scientific purposes.

Hawaii also introduced legislation earlier this month Ban seabed mining.

As others push for deep-sea mining, McCabe said countries split into two camps at the ISA meeting.

“From a diplomatic perspective, the atmosphere is quite tense,” he said.

“Countries have basically said they don’t want any mining to start without rules and regulations in place, and there are no rules and regulations in place, and if this company goes ahead and submits an application then it will go against the view of almost the entire world.”