Life beneath the Pacific Ocean is characterized by slowness, darkness, and tranquility. Unusual creatures shine and glimmer, while oxygen seeps mysteriously through rugged mineral rocks. The residents of these deep waters seldom interfere with one another.

“This area hosts an extraordinary form of life,” noted Bethany Orcutt, a geobiologist at the Bigelow Institute for Marine Science.

Given the harsh conditions, conducting deep-sea research is both challenging and infrequent due to its high costs.

On Thursday, President Trump endorsed a Presidential Order aimed at permitting industrial mining in underwater areas for the first time. Scientists have voiced strong concerns that such mining could irreversibly damage deep-sea ecosystems before their value and functions are fully understood.

What’s down there?

Undersea mining can target three types of metal-rich sediments: nodules, crusts, and mounds, with current focus on nodules. Nodules are particularly valuable as they contain metals essential for the production of electronic devices, advanced weaponry, electric vehicle batteries, and other technologies crucial for human advancement. Nodules are also the simplest type of underwater mineral deposits to extract.

Economically viable nodules have been forming over millions of years, resting on the seabed indefinitely. They develop when small pieces of material, such as shark teeth, become embedded in the seabed. Minerals containing iron, manganese, and other metals gradually accumulate, resembling snowmen. Some can grow as large as grapefruit.

Life also thrives among these nodules. Microbial organisms, invertebrates, corals, and sponges inhabit them.

Lisa Levin, an oceanographer at the Institute of Oceanography, states that approximately half of the known marine life inhabiting the vast Abyssal Plains exists in these nodules. However, she explained, “I am unsure about the distribution of these species and whether individuals from mined sites can recolonize other areas.” “That’s a significant unknown.”

How is ocean mining conducted?

Two primary methods have been developed for harvesting nodules. One resembles a claw that drags along the seabed collecting nodules, while the other acts as a vacuum used in underwater operations.

In both methods, nodules are lifted to surface ships several miles above the seabed, with any remaining water, rocks, and debris released back into the sea.

Both approaches are invasive and can harm the underwater habitat itself. The extraction of nodules equates to the removal of essential ecosystem components, according to scientific consensus.

Mining operations introduce light and sound pollution, affecting not only the seabed but also the sea surface around the extraction vessels.

A major concern is the sediment plume generated by mining activities, described by Jeffrey Drazen, an oceanographer at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, as “the clearest seawater” at about 1,000 meters, which contributes to obscured environments. Sediment plumes can travel significant distances and harm marine life unpredictably.

The sediment can suffocate shrimp and sponge-like fish, obstructing filter feeders. It can also block essential light, impacting lantern fishes and making it difficult for them to find mates or prey. Furthermore, it may lead to contamination of seafood for human consumption.

“What are the chances of contaminating food supplies?” Dr. Drazen questioned. He expressed a desire for answers regarding this issue before mining commences, as the information is currently lacking.

What do mining companies assert?

The mining industry claims to be adopting a sustainable and environmentally responsible approach to deep-sea mining through research and collaboration with the scientific community.

Their research includes fundamental studies in seabed geology, biology, and chemistry, documenting thousands of species and providing valuable imagery and footage from the deep sea. Dr. Drazen noted that interest in undersea mining could promote research efforts that might otherwise be hard to fund.

Initial tests of recovery equipment have revealed some insights into the anticipated effects related to sediment plumes, yet modeling is limited in forecasting outcomes at a commercial scale.

Impossible Metals, a California-based underwater mining firm, utilizes artificial intelligence to create a transport container-sized underwater robot designed to harvest large, free-living nodules. In 2022, the Metals Company, a Canadian deep-sea mining entity, extracted approximately 3,000 tons of nodules from the ocean floor and gathered data regarding the sediment plume generated during the process.

In March, the Metals Company indicated plans to bypass international regulatory bodies associated with the United Nations overseeing submarine mining, instead seeking authorization through NOAA.

During an interview on Thursday, CEO Gerald Baron stated that the executive order “does not serve as a shortcut” for previous environmental assessments, emphasizing that the company has “conducted over a decade of environmental research.”

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly affirmed that the United States would adhere to two domestic laws governing deep-sea exploration and commercial endeavors within U.S. waters. “Both laws mandate extensive environmental impact assessments and compliance with stringent environmental standards,” she noted.

What are the long-term risks?

Many scientists harbor skepticism regarding the well-understood environmental consequences of underwater mining, as viable predictions about long-term results remain elusive.

Disturbing the base of the food chain can have cascading effects on the entire marine ecosystem. For instance, if sediments dilute the food supply for plankton, they could face starvation due to an inability to extract sufficient organic matter from the clouds of sea dust.

Small plankton serve as a fundamental food source, whether directly or indirectly, for nearly every marine organism, including whales.

Understanding potential impacts poses challenges due to the slow life processes at the seabed. Deep-sea fish can live for hundreds of years, while corals can endure for millennia.

“The timeline of life here is significantly different,” Dr. Levin explained. “It raises numerous uncertainties regarding responses to environmental disturbances.” Conducting 500-year experiments to ascertain whether these ecosystems can recover or adapt is a daunting task for humans.

Additionally, there’s no assurance that damaged habitats will be restored or that harm to the seabed will be mitigated. Unlike terrestrial mining, “a strategy for deep-sea mining is absent,” Dr. Oucht remarked. “There is currently no scientific evidence supporting the restoration of ecosystems post-damage.”

Some experts have raised concerns about the necessity of undersea mining, arguing that land-based mining could meet the growing metal demands.

Proponents of deep-sea mining assert that the environmental or carbon footprint is less significant compared to traditional mining practices for those same minerals.

“To date, there has been no actual recovery of minerals,” stated Amy Gartman, a marine researcher leading the U.S. Geological Survey’s Undersea Minerals Team, referring to commercial-scale mining. “We are comparing theoretical scenarios with actual land mining methods. Once someone initiates extraction in any of these ventures, we will gain a clearer understanding.”

Eric Lipton Reports of contributions.