State of the Science Fact Sheet: Deep Sea Mining
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Deep-Sea Mining (DSM) refers to the extraction of critical mineral deposits on or below the seafloor. Of the 50 critical minerals identified as essential to U.S. economic and national security, at least 37 are found in seafloor deposits. Critical minerals include manganese, nickel, cobalt, and zinc, which are essential elements for manufacturing high-technology devices and advanced batteries, and have national defense applications. To date, no commercial-scale DSM has occurred globally; however, the increasing demand for critical minerals and rising costs of terrestrial sources, improvements in deep-sea technology and capabilities, and the potential for supply chain disruptions have reinvigorated discussions of DSM potential.
Source: NOAA Institutional Repository
DOI: 10.25923/j7zg-v062
Authors: Elmore, Aurora, Kehoe, Kerry, Moreno, Victoria
Institution: NOAA Ocean Exploration
Language: English
Subfield: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6964765012
FWCI:
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