A pragmatic approach to seabed mining
“I do obviously worry about the ecosystems down at the seafloor,” says biologist Annemiek Vink from the Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR) in Hannover when we meet on Teams.…
Seabed Minerals
Technology is always missing in the debate about seabed mineral extraction
“If you talk to organisations opposing seabed mineral extraction,” says Annemiek Vink, “they all speak about the terrible environmental damage that this will cause. But none of them relate this…
A new seabed minerals frontier emerges
American Samoa is emerging as a new potential frontier for seabed minerals, joining global players like Japan, India, and Norway in the race to commence seafloor mineral extraction. In April,…
The world’s largest SMS deposits
The terrain along the ultra-slow-spreading Mohns Ridge in the Norwegian Sea is continuously renewing itself with frequent volcanic eruptions across a wide zone in the rift valley, a new doctoral…
How spreading rates determine your exploration strategy
Mapped sediment thicknesses at two segments along the Mohns Ridge. Sediment thickness serves as an indicator of the age of the underlying lava flows. Illustration: Stubseid et al. 2024, Nature…
India to auction first offshore mineral blocks
India’s Ministry of Mines has announced that the country is entering offshore mineral production for the first time in its nearly 75-year history. This initiative aligns with India’s vision of…
TMC’s bold move
Frustrated by delays at the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the UN-affiliated body regulating mining in international waters, TMC is making a daring move. In Q2 2025, the Canadian company plans…
Hunting for marine minerals in the Baltic Sea
While Norway is by far the most dominant player amongst the Nordic countries in terms of marine minerals, some activities are also being performed in Swedish waters. The presence of…
Die Metallkrise ist in sicht: A call for German deep-sea involvement
“Japan, Saudi-Arabia, Norway – more and more countries rely on raw materials from the deep sea. Germany can’t escape this trend.” The Federation of German Industries (BDI) published a report…
Divided opinions on area announcement
Not unexpectedly, the wide range of consultation bodies expressed different views and recommendations related to the proposal, which includes 386 blocks divided into five areas: Mohns Ridge North and South,…
What happened to the Allseas vessel that brought nodules to surface in 2022?
When the interviewer asks the CEO of Allseas, Pieter Heerema, how much money the company sunk into converting the former ultra deep-water drill ship Vitoria 10000 into getting the newly…
No licensing round for seabed minerals in Norway next year
On Sunday 1 December, the results of the national budget negotiations were presented. The Socialist Left Party won approval to stop the upcoming licensing round for seabed minerals. It was…