The International Seabed Authority will begin accepting applications from companies looking to mine the ocean floor in July, a decision that came after the UN body spent the past two weeks debating standards for the new and controversial practice.
Deep-sea mining would extract cobalt, copper, nickel and manganese key battery materials from potato-sized rocks called “polymetallic nodules” on the ocean floor at depths of 4 to 6 km (2.5 to 4 miles). They are abundant in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the North Pacific between Hawaii and Mexico.
The ISA’s governing board on Thursday drafted a decision after a meeting in Jamaica to allow companies to apply for permits starting July 9, a deadline set by measures taken by the island nation of Nauru in 2021, according to a copy seen by Reuters.
ISA staff would then have three working days to inform the council. The board plans to meet virtually before July to further discuss whether approval of such requests could be delayed once received, according to the document.
“This deeply irresponsible result is a missed opportunity to send a clear signal … that the era of ocean destruction is over,” said Louisa Casson of Greenpeace, which opposes the practice in part because of concerns it could harm whales and other wildlife.
Metals Co, which has a deal to supply metals to Glencore Plc, is one of the most prominent voices defending the practice. Its executives have repeatedly said they believe deep-sea mining would have less impact than traditional onshore mining of battery metals.
China is a leader in deep-sea mining exploration, but Chile, France, Palau and Fiji, among other countries, have called for a global moratorium on the practice, citing environmental concerns and a lack of sufficient scientific data.
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