Seabed Minerals

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…

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,…

Draghi’s nod to marine minerals

”My concern (…) is that, over time, we will inexorably become less pros­perous, less equal, less secure and, as a result, less free to choose our destiny.” Mario Draghi, former…

China’s showing its muscles in the deep sea

China has reached a significant milestone in the field of deep-sea mining with the successful trial of its Kaituo 2 (Pioneer 2) vehicle in the Western Pacific Ocean. During the…