The study area covers 83 square kilometers and is located approximately 70 kilometers southeast of Skellefteå, within Sweden’s exclusive economic zone. The water depth ranges from 60 to 130 meters.
Sweco’s report is complete, and it confirms, among other things:
- The presence of organic pollutants, substances that could be harmful to the environment and health, was generally low.
- The fauna found indicates relatively homogeneous and species-poor habitats, with species commonly found in coastal and lake areas.
- No red-listed or endangered species were found.
- The seabed consists of common biotopes with little ecological function or only basic ecological function.
Scandinavian Ocean Minerals shared, “The results are completely in line with our previous studies and forecasts. This also applies to the report’s remark that ‘extraction of nodules is assessed to potentially pose a risk of turbidity and spreading of sediment pollutants (primarily metals), which need further investigation.’ Minimizing the risk of this is something we have been working on for several years and will continue to do as planned.”
The results of the natural value survey are a valuable contribution to the Environmental Impact Assessment that Scandinavian Ocean Minerals is currently working on. This will, in turn, be a cornerstone of the company’s application for extraction permits, which is planned to be submitted to the government later this year.