The Rio Grande Rise is an almost completely unstudied, geologically intriguing, ecologically mysterious, potential lost continent in the deep south Atlantic. And it also hosts dense cobalt-rich crusts. The Rio Grande Rise is a region of deep-ocean seamounts roughly the area of Iceland in the southwestern Atlantic. It lies west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge off […]
Read More
A new book from Springer offers one of the most comprehensive looks at deep sea mining to date. Edited by Dr. Rahul Sharma of Goa, India’s National Institute of Oceanography, Deep-Sea Mining: Resource Potential, Technical and Environmental Considerations is a milestone update on this emerging industry, with contributions in 18 chapters from experts involved in […]
Read More
Exploring some of the world’s most remote ocean regions is no small task, especially when the mission includes investigation of benthic habitats and features on the forefront of interest to the deep seabed mining industry. Yet a slurry of such expeditions has recently been undertaken, launching headlines around the world and contributing to our scientific […]
Read More
As the International Seabed Authority (ISA) gets ready to begin its 23rd Annual Meeting this August in Kingston, it’s a noteworthy reflection point to consider the progressing state of the “Mining Code”. “Mining Code” is the term used by the ISA to describe the entire body of rules, regulations and procedures that will regulate prospecting, […]
Read More
MICHAEL LODGE in UN CHRONICLE | May 2017 “The deep ocean below 200 metres is the largest habitat for life on Earth and the most difficult to access. The sea floor, just like the terrestrial environment, is made up of mountain ranges, plateaus, volcanic peaks, canyons and vast abyssal plains. It contains most of the […]
Read More
HELMHOLTZ CENTRE FOR OCEAN RESEARCH KIEL (GEOMAR) | 9 February 2017 The demand for raw materials is rising continuously, forcing mining companies to use lower-grade ores and to explore at greater depths. This could lead to a decline in production in the coming decades. Many industrialized economies also depend on imports of metals for their […]
Read More