Deep-sea mining could be source of minerals critical to Earth’s future

With critical minerals in high demand worldwide, some say deep-sea mining could be the solution to ongoing global mineral shortages.

There are purportedly billions upon billions worth of dollars of key minerals – such as cobalt, copper, manganese and nickel – lying underneath the floor of the seabed, specifically in the Pacific Ocean’s Clarion-Clipperton Zone.

Minerals such as these could be instrumental to global nations’ clean energy development and the manufacturing of electric vehicles.

However, the international regulations surrounding deep-sea mining haven’t been finalized by the United Nations’ International Seabed Authority, which could open the door for companies to mine the seabed without any regulation.