Seabed Minerals – Compared to What?
In the ongoing debate about seabed minerals, it is important to put numbers and claims into perspective, writes our R&D Manager Jon Hellevang in his recent debating article featured in Altinget.
It is easy to find challenges with the extraction of seabed minerals. But shouldn't the question be “compared to what”, Hellevang asks.
In his article featured in Altinget, he addresses some of the key concerns raised in the debate.
Large Carbon Emissions?
The release of stored carbon from sediments and the disturbance of the carbon is raised as a concern.
However, based on the current state of knowledge, deep-sea sediment disturbance seems unlikely to lead to significant additional release of carbon dioxide or impact the carbon cycle.
The deeper the carbon is stored in the ocean, the less likely it is to be resuspended.
By contrast, the negative impact on carbon storage is a challenge for many of the current land-based mining projects.
If you are concerned about the carbon cycle, the extraction of deep-sea minerals appears to be the best alternative.
Residual Mass and Radioactivity
The disposal of tailings is considered to be one of the biggest environmental challenges in mining. Again, this is not a unique challenge for seabed minerals.
In general, the ore grade of seabed minerals is expected to be higher, while radioactivity is expected to be lower compared to land-based mining.
This gives the potential for less challenges with tailings from seabed minerals compared to current land-based mining.
Many Undescribed Species
There are frequent claims about the number of unknown and undescribed species in the deep sea.
The current estimates is that approximately 91% of marine species remain undescribed, compared to 86% on land.
However, as there are more species on land compared to the ocean, it is seven times more likely to find an undescribed species in the same size area on land as in the ocean.
Regardless of location, thorough mapping of the location planned impacted is essential.
The article also points towards an overview of data from the Norwegian opening area.
More Knowledge Needed
Hellevang emphasizes that there is a broad consensus on the need for more knowledge before any extraction of seabed minerals in the Norwegian opening area.
A step-by-step approach is essential, where more mapping of the environment and resources is the first step.
You can read the full debating article here. (language: Norwegian)
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