Chinese team finds 11,700 new viruses in world’s biggest seabed metal deposit
Quick Look
- Billions of metallic nodules containing nickel, cobalt and manganese lie on the Pacific seabed between Mexico and Hawaii, with reserves potentially exceeding known land deposits.
- The International Seabed Authority has granted 17 exploration contracts for the area, five held by China, though no commercial mining has occurred yet.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The Clarion-Clipperton Zone is a vast region of the Pacific seabed known for polymetallic nodules containing valuable battery metals. The International Seabed Authority regulates mineral-related activities in international waters.
Up to 6,000 metres (19,700 feet) beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean between Mexico and Hawaii, billions of potato-shaped metallic nodules are scattered across the seabed.
The Clarion-Clipperton zone’s reserves of vital metals such as nickel, cobalt and manganese could surpass the total known reserves on land, according to some estimates.
While no commercial mining has yet taken place on the underwater plain, the International Seabed Authority has issued 17 exploration contracts for the area, five of which are held by China.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Commercial mining exploration will increase in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone over the next 2-3 years
Likely · Within years
Environmental regulations for deep-sea mining will become stricter before commercial operations begin
Likely · Within years
Open Questions
- When might commercial mining begin in the zone?
- What environmental protections will be required for deep-sea mining?
- How will revenues from seabed mining be distributed under international law?
