Deep sea bed mining is the extraction of metals such as iron, manganese, copper, zinc, lead nickel, cadmium, silver, platinum gold and rare earths from the sea floor.
Thousands of meters beneath the azure ocean waters in places like the South Pacific, down through a water column saturated with life and to the ocean floor carpeted in undiscovered ecosystems, machines the size of small buildings are poised to begin a campaign of wholesale destruction. I wish this assessment was hyperbole, but it is the reality we find ourselves in today.
New research reveals experimental seabed mining could have a devastating impact on life forms that are "literally saving the planet” and preventing a “doomsday climatic event”.
The research lists experimental seabed mining as a major threat to ocean life that resides around hydrothermal vents and has been found to consume enormous quantities of methane that would otherwise enter the atmosphere.
LONDON: This morning, NGOs and civil society are outside the 5th Annual Deep Sea Mining Summit calling for a ban on a potentially environmentally destructive “frontier” industry. They are calling on the EU to stop funding such reckless development activities and are standing in solidarity with NGOs, churches and community across the Pacific.
The people of Biliau and Galil from the Raikos area of Madang province are standing together and saying No to Experimental Seabed Mining as this would affect their livelihoods and environment. They depend entirely on the sea for their daily subsistence.
The villagers and locals were attending an awareness on experimental sea bed mining organised by Act Now! and Tropical Gem to learn about the proosed Solwara 1 seabed mine.
A cost-benefit analysis released by the Secretariat of Pacific Communities (SPC) and the European Union on potential deep sea mining (DSM) projects in three Pacific countries found that the projects can be viable.
But other research suggests there remain serious concerns about the new, untested DSM industry.
The European Union and SPC have published a new report [see below] claiming the money to be made from experimental seabed mining in PNG far outweighs the costs. Unfortunately the expensive report:
PNG is playing a dangerous game with people’s livelihoods, environment and culture by embarking on experimental seabed mining without understanding the potential impacts on the regions fish and fisheries, according to a South Pacific Community research proposal.
The three 250 tonne mega machines that Nautilus Minerals will use to chew up the seafloor in PNG have finally been unveiled.
One can only imagine the destruction that is going to be caused and the impacts on sea life and vital fishing stocks once these mechanical giants are unleashed…
