Scientist suggest that a temporary ban on ocean mining would allow for further research into the impacts of ocean mining on seabed ecosystems. Those findings would, in turn, aid the development of comprehensive guidelines to which ocean mining companies would need to abide in order to mitigate any environmental effects.
According to Andrew Chin, lead researcher on the project, one of the main concerns is the loss of sea life and the damage to the ocean floor which could take “thousands of years” to recover. The lasting impacts of unsettled sediments and ocean mining waste are still largely unknown.
Companies like DeepGreen point out that ocean mining is a sustainable alternative to surface mining, as polymetallic nodules found on the ocean floor contain fewer toxic levels of deleterious elements compared to ores mined on land. Further, according to the company’s website terrestrial mining produces billions of tons of waste that could leak into the soil and surrounding waters.
The full report can be found here: http://www.deepseaminingoutofourdepth.org/report/