Companies call for ban on deep sea mining
Resources in the deep should remain untouched for the time being.
Dirk W. MüllerJune 30, 2025
BMW, Volvo, Google and Korean battery maker Samsung SDI have vowed not to buy metals from deep-sea mining until the environmental risks of this activity are "fully understood". The firms are the first global corporations to support a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) call for a moratorium on the mining of metals from the ocean floor, which could mean a severe blow to companies planning to mine deep sea this decade. The signatories have also said they will not fund deep-sea mining companies. "Before any potential deep-sea mining takes place, it must be clearly demonstrated that such activities can be managed in a way that ensures effective protection of the marine environment," they said in the statement. "There is an urgent need to research all alternatives to deep-sea minerals, with an emphasis on reducing the demand for primary metals, moving to a resource-efficient, closed-cycle economy and developing responsible terrestrial mining practices," the companies said. Mining on the seabed is being promoted as an alternative to mining on land, as the demand for minerals needed for a green energy transition, such as cobalt and nickel, will exceed current production rates by 2030. However, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) has yet to adopt regulations to support this emerging activity. The United Nations-backed body, which includes 167 countries, has already awarded exploration contracts to 21 companies, but they cannot start mining until regulation is in place. In 2018, an international team of researchers published a set of criteria designed to help the ISA protect biodiversity from deep-sea mining activities while it prepares global rules. According to the US Geological Survey, the deep sea comprises more than half of the world's surface and contains minerals in concentrations many times higher than those of all land reserves combined. Bulbs in sight The main target of companies planning to mine underwater is polymetallic tubers. These small rocks, which lie in a shallow layer of mud on the sea floor, are rich in cobalt, nickel, copper, manganese and rare earths. Scientists and explorers have also identified cobalt-rich crusts that are shallower than the tubers and sulfates. Recent reports, including one commissioned by the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel), have called for further research to fill knowledge gaps before any seabed mining is allowed. You have also advocated the need to establish protected zones in all ocean regions that fall under the jurisdiction of the ISA. The European Parliament has also called for a ban on seabed mining until the environmental impacts and risks of disrupting unique deep-sea ecosystems are understood. In the resolution passed three years ago, lawmakers also urged the European Commission to persuade member states to stop promoting and subsidizing licenses to explore and exploit the seabed in international waters as well as within their own territories. Conservationists recommend countries encourage recycling of battery metals to reduce the need to search for new supplies. However, proponents of the activity argue that extracting battery metals from the ocean floor could potentially eliminate or dramatically reduce most of the environmental and social impacts associated with extracting riches from the earth's surface. Companies actively trying to mine the seabed include GSR, UK Seabed Resources and DeepGreen, which recently announced plans to go public through a merger with a special purpose vehicle (SPAC).
