Altogether three (possibly four) talks are scheduled by government officials and license holders. See programme.
The background is that as of February this year, three seabed mineral exploration licences were awarded in the Cook Islands Exclusive Economic Zone (geoexpro.com: “First seabed exploration licenses awarded”).
The license details can be viewed here.
“The conference in Bergen aims to address the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead as the need for critical minerals is expected to surpass supply from both the mining industry and recycling,” says John Parianos, Technical Director of the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority (Authority) in the Cook Islands, and a member of the programme committee for the conference.
John Parianos can look back at ten years in seabed minerals, much of it running the Tonga Offshore Mining Limited CCZ polymetallic program as well as seafloor massive sulphide exploration in Papua New Guinea and Tonga.
“I consider this conference an exciting opportunity for those who are interested in learning more about the latest developments in deep sea mineral exploration,” Parianos adds.
Commissioner of the Authority, Alex Herman, will present a paper on the Cook Islands seabed minerals regulatory framework, including the comprehensive 2020/2021 tender process and eventual granting of the abovementioned exploration licences.
Alex Herman also has around ten years’ experience in Cook Islands seabed minerals and regulatory work both in the Cook Islands and in the Area.
“It is exciting and more than a little challenging to be at the forefront of this industry” says Herman, “We are really happy to share our experience on the extensive preparation and implementation steps that has been necessary thus far.”
This will be followed by a presentation on scientific developments on seabed minerals in the Cook Islands by John Parianos and Rima Browne.
“Exploration of the Cook Islands seabed has been sporadic since the 1980s and with the recent issuance of exploration licences, a swath of new developments and discoveries is expected over the next five years,” Parianos says.
The session will round out with a talk from one of the licence holders on their proposed environmental and social work programmes. These are key are requirements under the Cook Islands regulatory framework.
“The Cook Islands’ session promises to be an informative case study on an emerging marine minerals industry within a country’s national borders,” Alex Herman concludes.
