The Cook Islands with – to say the least – a huge Exclusive Economic Zone, did earlier this year issue three 5-year contracts for the exploration of polymetallic nodules in the abyssal plain surrounding this tiny country. While there is some resistance from environmental organizations, the prime minister is “a true believer” and is eager to promote the harvesting of potentially deep-sea riches to the benefit of his people.
Also in the Pacific, The Metals Company is continuing its heroic efforts to develop technology to collect polymetallic nodules in the ISA-regulated Clarion Clipperton Zone in an environmentally friendly manner. The International Seabed Authority (ISA) has recently recommended that the company subsidiary Nauru Ocean Resources Inc. (NORI), proceeds with independently monitored pilot collection system trials and is therefore poised to become the first deep-sea mining exploration company to take up commercial production.
On the other side of the Earth, Norway – with an Exclusive Economic Zone even larger than that of the Cook Islands – is preparing for a licensing round in search of massive seafloor sulphides and ferromanganese crusts within and around the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. An Impact Assessment study is on track, and it is up to the Norwegian government to make the necessary decisions in preparing the ground for deep sea mineral exploration.
These topics, and several more, will be dealt with at Deep Sea Minerals 2022 in Bergen in October.
October 25: Icebreaker
October 26
- OPENING ADRESS: The Cook Islands Prime Minister Hon. Mark Brown
- Marine Minerals – Global Exploration Status
Featuring Cecilie Myklatun, Pedro Madureira, Harald Brekke, and Erika Ilves
- The Cook Islands – The First Licensing Round
Featuring Alex Herman, Rima Browne, Hans Smit, and John Parianos
- Licence to Operate – Environmental Challenges
Featuring Jon Hellevang, Samantha Smith, Phil Weaver, Kamila Mianowics, Mathias Haeckel, Roger Skogmo, Kris de Bruyne, Thomas Peacock, Eduardo Silva, and Jens Laugesen
October 27
- Exploration Strategy & Exploration Technology
Featuring Anna Lim, Ståle Johansen, Acer Figueroa, Berit Floor Lund, Ruben Janssen, Ebbe Hartz, Pablo Sobron, Lucy MacGregor, and Ian Lipton,
- Mineral Processing
Featuring Pshem Kowalczuk, Jeffrey Donald, Oliver Gunasekara, Erica Ocampo, Thomas Lüttke, and Colin Seaborne
- Norwegian Start-ups
Featuring Anette Broch Mathisen Tvedt, Ståle Monstad, and Walter Sognnes
COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS PRESENTING
ADEPTH Minerals, The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, The Norwegian Ministry of Oil and Energy, EMEPC (Portugal), The Metals Company, Loke, The Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority, Ocean Minerals, GCE Ocean, Seascape Consultants, Interoceanmetal Joint Organization, GEOMAR, Kongsberg Digital, Global Sea Mineral Resources (GSR), MIT, DNV, Argeo, NTNU, National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, Kongsberg Maritime, Aker Marine Minerals, Impossible Sensing, OFG Multiphysics, AMC Consultants, Impossible Mining, Moana Minerals, The Norwegian Forum for Marine Minerals, Green Minerals, INESCTEC, BGR
