SS Ocean Mining: Development of Environmental Research related to future Deep Sea Mining - Are Concerns justified and what should be done?

Abstract

Abstract During the past fifty years, the deep sea has moved more and more into the realm of societal interest. Waste dumping into and ore mining in the deep-sea were discussed and the international community agrees that environmental considerations and further research on potential impacts on the largest environment of our earth (about 60%) are obligatory before such industrial intrusions start. Even during the initial exploration phase on polymetallic nodules at the beginning of the 1970s, environmental studies were being conducted: Deep Ocean Mining Environmental Study (DOMES) and Metalliferous Sediments Atlantis II Deep (MESEDA) both launched about 30 years ago. The second phase with large-scale in-situ experiments called Disturbance and Re-colonization Experiment in a Manganese Nodule Area of the Deep South Pacific Ocean (DISCOL) (Germany) and Benthic Impact Experiment (BIE) (USA, Soviet Union, Japan, the international consortium Interocean Metall, and India), commenced their studies between 1988 and 1997. Results of these experiments and accompanying initiatives such as those of the German interdisciplinary advisory TUSCHgroup (from German Tiefsee-Umwelt-Schutz), are reported and discussed. In 2001 the International Marine Minerals Society published its " Code for Environmental Management of Marine Mining?? and during the Deep-Sea Minerals and Mining Conference in Aachen/Germany representatives of the mining companies Nautilus and Neptune reported collecting initial environmental baseline data in areas of future marine massive sulphide mining. Based on recent knowledge and experiences, recommendations for responsible environmental care related to deep-sea mining are described. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) places the responsibility for the environment on States for mining in exclusive economic zones (EEZs) and on the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for the exploitation of the resources in the Area, all regions beyond EEZs. Therefore, environmental regulations may develop independently and somewhat controversially. Harmonized directives should be strived for. From 1998 to 2007 the ISA has held several workshops in which different aspects of future mining of mineral resources were discussed. An overview is given here.