The ocean’s undiscovered depths are being targeted for deep-sea mining operations, which have raised concerns about their potential impact on endangered marine species. Research suggests that commercial-scale deep-sea mining operations could negatively affect oceans and endangered species, emphasizing the need for continued conservation efforts.
Understanding Deep Sea Mining
Deep-sea mining involves retrieving mineral deposits from the ocean bed, specifically areas below 200 meters depth, covering two-thirds of the total seafloor. As per the International Seabed Authority (ISA), an agency under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), such territories beyond national jurisdiction represent around 50% of the total area of the world’s oceans. The ISA oversees activities related to deep-sea mineral resources and has given the green light for 32 contracts for mineral exploration in more than 1.5 million square kilometres of the international seabed.
Governance by the International Seabed Authority
As mandated by the UNCLOS, the ISA must establish a governance framework within two years to manage deep-sea mining, including defining rules, regulations, and procedures. This body is also obligated to evaluate any mining proposal by the end of this period if proper governance infrastructure fails to be put into place.
Increasing Interest in Deep Sea Mining
The diminishing terrestrial deposits of metals such as copper, nickel, aluminium, manganese, zinc, lithium, and cobalt have necessitated a shift in focus towards deep-sea deposits. Mineral resources are extracted from polymetallic nodules found in various deep ocean regions such as the deep Pacific and Indian oceans. These potato-sized nodules lie on the sediment surface across abyssal plains in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. The growing demand for these metals, driven by their usage in modern tech like smartphones, wind turbines, solar panels, and batteries, has also contributed to the increased interest in deep-sea mining.
Threats to Cetaceans
Cetaceans are a group of exclusively aquatic mammals that include whales, dolphins, and porpoises, found in oceans worldwide and some freshwater environments. Commercial-scale mining, with its round-the-clock operations, can cause noise pollution that overlaps with the frequencies at which these species communicate, leading to auditory masking and behavioural changes in these mammals.
India’s Deep Ocean Mission
India’s Deep Ocean Mission aims to develop technologies for exploring and extracting minerals from the deep seabed. Led by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), the mission will construct a manned submersible capable of carrying three people to ocean depths of 6,000 meters. The mission will also focus on exploring possibilities of deriving energy and freshwater from the ocean through studies and detailed engineering designs for offshore ocean thermal energy conversion-powered desalination plants.
Other Blue Economy Initiatives
Besides the Deep Ocean Mission, other initiatives under the Blue Economy concept include the India-Norway Task Force on Blue Economy for Sustainable Development, the Sagarmala project, O-SMART, Integrated Coastal Zone Management, and the National Fisheries policy.
Deep-sea mining is becoming increasingly important in the resource sector. However, the threats it poses to marine life necessitate sustainable practices and thorough monitoring to ensure the health of our oceans while leveraging their vast resources.
