Deep Sea Mining

Key points in this POSTnote include:

• The first deep-sea mining in national waters, off the coast of Papua New Guinea, may begin in 2018. For the UK, current deep-sea mining focus is on international waters, regulations for which are under development.
• Three different types of deposit are being considered, each associated with a distinct geology and ecosystem. However, the extreme environment of the deep sea poses new engineering challenges.
• Some deposits are found in areas that are known to have high ecological value.
• The environmental impacts of deep-sea mining are uncertain because little is known about deep-sea organisms, their distribution or their sensitivity to disturbance.