scholarly journals Environment Protection Policy and Monitoring Systems for Polymetallic Nodules Exploitation

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 523-529
Author(s):  
Tomasz Abramowski
Keyword(s):  
Environment Protection ◽  
Polymetallic Nodules ◽  
Clipperton Fracture Zone ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
Mining Projects ◽  
Environmental Protection Policies ◽  
Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone ◽  
Deep Seabed Mining ◽  
Seabed Mining ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The paper presents the analysis of ongoing implementation of environmental protection policies into deep seabed mining projects of Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone, (CCZ). Short introduction to the current environmental regime in the Area under UNCLOS jurisdiction is presented and potential impact of deep seabed mining is discussed. Selected results of efforts to minimize the impact on the marine environment and environmental baseline studies are described.

scholarly journals Potential Impacts of Polymetallic Nodule Removal On Deep-Sea Meiobenthos

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Pape ◽  
Tania Bezerra ◽  
Hendrik Gheerardyn ◽  
Marius Buydens ◽  
Amanda Kieswetter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mineral Resources ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Sampling Effort ◽  
Polymetallic Nodule ◽  
Polymetallic Nodules ◽  
Abundance And Diversity ◽  
Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone ◽  
Deep Seabed Mining ◽  
Management Recommendations ◽  
Seabed Mining

Abstract Deep seabed mining is imminent in the Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCFZ; northeast Pacific). Seabed collectors will remove the polymetallic nodules and the surrounding surface sediments, both inhabited by meiobenthos, along their path. To determine potential impacts of polymetallic nodule removal, we investigated the importance of nodule presence for sediment abundance, composition and diversity of meiobenthos, nematodes and copepods, and evaluated the existence and composition of nodule crevice meiobenthos in the Global Sea Mineral Resources (GSR) exploration contract area. Nodule-free and nodule-rich sediments displayed high biodiversity with many singletons and doubletons, potentially representing rare taxa. Nodule presence negatively influenced sediment meiobenthic abundances but did not markedly affect community composition or diversity. This is the first report on CCFZ nodule crevice meiobenthos, whose abundance related positively to nodule dimensions. Though dominated by the same taxa, the meio- and nematofauna differed between sediments and nodules regarding community and functional composition. Nevertheless, there were no taxa endemic to the nodule crevices and nodule crevice meiobenthos added only little to total small-scale (~ cm) meiobenthic abundance and diversity. We formulated environmental management recommendations at the contract area and regional (CCFZ) scale related to sampling effort, set-aside preservation and monitoring areas, and potential rehabilitation measures.

Vasopora ceramica n. gen., n. sp.—a new abyssal cyclostome bryozoan from polymetallic nodules in the Russian exploration area, Clarion–Clipperton Fracture Zone, eastern Pacific Ocean

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5047 (4) ◽  
pp. 444-452
Author(s):  
ANDREI V. GRISCHENKO ◽  
DENNIS P. GORDON ◽  
VIACHESLAV P. MELNIK
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
Fracture Zone ◽  
Sharp Boundary ◽  
Eastern Pacific Ocean ◽  
Exterior Wall ◽  
Polymetallic Nodules ◽  
Clipperton Fracture Zone ◽  
Distinct Boundary ◽  
Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone ◽  
Exploration Area

A new abyssal cyclostome bryozoan genus and species, Vasopora ceramica n. gen., n. sp., is described from the eastern Russian exploration area of the Clarion–Clipperton Fracture Zone based on newly collected material from Yuzhmorgeologiya GLD4–19 station 421 (13.23408° N, 134.22180° W, 4809 m depth). Generic characters include an erect pedunculate colony with a distinct boundary between column and flared capitulum, short autozooidal peristomes in a single whorl, numerous alveoli, a central unidirectional sac-like gonozooid covered by a surficial network of crossed ridges continuous with adjacent rims of alveoli, a laterally opening ooeciopore, and the entire capitulum surface being minutely densely granular to subspinulate. Whereas the skeletal microstructure of the capitulum surface comprises irregular imbricated crystallites, the column has a planar-spherulitic fabric of acicular crystallites in fan-like arrays, and there are no pseudopores. The sharp boundary between capitulum and column, with their different microstructure separates Vasopora n. gen. from the two existing genera of Alyonushkidae that are found in the same environment. Vasopora n. gen. has a stalk formed of calcified exterior wall, whereas it is interior-walled in Alyonushka and Calyssopora.  

Concluding Remarks on Corporate Entity Involvement in Deep Seabed Mining

2021 ◽  
pp. 269-274
Author(s):  
Joanna Dingwall
Keyword(s):  
Regulatory Regime ◽  
Mining Operations ◽  
Common Heritage ◽  
The Common ◽  
International Seabed Authority ◽  
Deep Seabed Mining ◽  
Seabed Mining ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Marine Environmental

The conclusion addresses the findings reached throughout this study on the role of private corporate actors in the deep seabed mining regime under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the impact of this upon realisation of the common heritage of mankind. It notes that the ISA is facing significant challenges in devising a workable payment mechanism that will deliver tangible benefits to humanity, while also ensuring sufficient marine environmental protections. The regime’s achievement of the common heritage will be dependent on the regulatory regime of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) fulfilling its potential, and implementing a comprehensive Mining Code to govern the life cycle of deep seabed mining operations. The study concludes by finding that, on balance, the regime is developing in a manner that may render it capable of realising its common heritage goals of securing communitarian benefits to humanity, alongside market-focused objectives. It also concludes that corporate participation may assist in achievement of the common heritage, to the extent that it may provide the commercial means for deep seabed mining to commence.

Navigating Environmental Approval Pathways for Deep Seabed Mining Projects in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (the Area)

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 31-39
Author(s):  
David Gwyther
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Environmental Impact Statement ◽  
Social Impact Assessment ◽  
National Jurisdiction ◽  
Standards And Guidelines ◽  
Mining Projects ◽  
Deep Seabed Mining ◽  
Seabed Mining

Abstract Deep-seabed mining (DSM) is a developing industry with high potential to help meet the metal demand for the transition to a renewable energy world. No DSM projects have yet received environmental approval, although several are in progress, following the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) process that has been developed and widely applied for projects in national jurisdictions. Currently, the International Seabed Authority's (ISA) regulations, standards, and guidelines for mineral exploitation of seabed minerals in the Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (the Area) are in draft form. Proponents are guided in their ESIA studies by the ISA's Recommendations for the Guidance of Contractors for the Assessment of the Possible Environmental Impacts Arising From Exploration for Marine Minerals in the Area and are proceeding in expectation that the currently draft regulations will be finalized by the time an environmental impact statement can be submitted. This paper discusses the pathways leading to environmental assessment and approvals, comparing the processes in national jurisdictions with those for projects in the Area.

scholarly journals Polymetallic nodules are essential for food-web integrity of a prospective deep-seabed mining area in Pacific abyssal plains

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanja Stratmann ◽  
Karline Soetaert ◽  
Daniel Kersken ◽  
Dick van Oevelen
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
Food Web ◽  
Mining Area ◽  
Central Pacific ◽  
Central Pacific Ocean ◽  
Polymetallic Nodule ◽  
Polymetallic Nodules ◽  
Deep Seabed Mining ◽  
Seabed Mining ◽  
Interaction Web

AbstractPolymetallic nodule fields provide hard substrate for sessile organisms on the abyssal seafloor between 3000 and 6000 m water depth. Deep-seabed mining targets these mineral-rich nodules and will likely modify the consumer-resource (trophic) and substrate-providing (non-trophic) interactions within the abyssal food web. However, the importance of nodules and their associated sessile fauna in supporting food-web integrity remains unclear. Here, we use seafloor imagery and published literature to develop highly-resolved trophic and non-trophic interaction webs for the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCZ, central Pacific Ocean) and the Peru Basin (PB, South-East Pacific Ocean) and to assess how nodule removal may modify these networks. The CCZ interaction web included 1028 compartments connected with 59,793 links and the PB interaction web consisted of 342 compartments and 8044 links. We show that knock-down effects of nodule removal resulted in a 17.9% (CCZ) to 20.8% (PB) loss of all taxa and 22.8% (PB) to 30.6% (CCZ) loss of network links. Subsequent analysis identified stalked glass sponges living attached to the nodules as key structural species that supported a high diversity of associated fauna. We conclude that polymetallic nodules are critical for food-web integrity and that their absence will likely result in reduced local benthic biodiversity.

scholarly journals Polymetallic nodules are essential for food-web integrity of a prospective deep-seabed mining area in Pacific abyssal plains

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanja Stratmann ◽  
Karline Soetaert ◽  
Daniel Kersken ◽  
Dick van Oevelen
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
Food Web ◽  
Mining Area ◽  
Central Pacific ◽  
Central Pacific Ocean ◽  
Polymetallic Nodule ◽  
Polymetallic Nodules ◽  
Deep Seabed Mining ◽  
Seabed Mining ◽  
Interaction Web

AbstractPolymetallic nodule fields provide hard substrate for sessile organisms on the abyssal seafloor between 3,000 and 6,000 m water depth. Deep-seabed mining targets these mineral-rich nodules and will likely modify the consumer-resource (trophic) and substrate-providing (non-trophic) interactions within the abyssal food web. However, the importance of nodules and their associated sessile fauna in supporting food-web integrity remains unclear. Here, we use seafloor imagery and published literature to develop highly-resolved trophic and non-trophic interaction webs for the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCZ, central Pacific Ocean) and the Peru Basin (PB, south-east Pacific Ocean) and to assess how nodule removal will modify these networks. The CCZ interaction web included 1,028 compartments connected with 59,793 links and the PB interaction web consisted of 342 compartments and 8,044 links. We show that knock-down effects of nodule removal resulted in a 17.9% (CCZ) to 20.8% (PB) loss of all compartments and 22.8% (PB) to 30.6% (CCZ) loss of network links. Subsequent analysis identified stalked glass sponges living attached to the nodules as key structural species that supported a high diversity of associated fauna. We conclude that polymetallic nodules are critical for food-web integrity and that their absence will likely result in reduced local benthic biodiversity.

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