Over 5,500 previously unknown species are teeming beneath the waves of the mineral-rich Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the Pacific Ocean. However, these remarkable creatures face an imminent threat from deep-sea mining operations.

In a study published in the prestigious journal Current Biology, scientists shed light on the biodiversity hotspot in the CCZ, an expansive region stretching over 5,000 km (3,100 miles) between Hawaii and Mexico. Astonishingly, the study reports a staggering 88% to 92% of the species identified in this area have never been encountered before.

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Norway's planned deep-sea mining poses significant environmental risks.

Deep-sea mining companies have set their sights on this very zone, Yahoo! News reports. Their ambitious plans involve extracting essential battery materials like cobalt, copper, nickel, and manganese from "polymetallic nodules"—potato-sized rocks resting on the ocean floor. Depths of 4 to 6 km (2.5 to 4 miles) house these valuable resources, which abound in the CCZ. Notably, The Metals Company already holds exploration contracts in this region and boasts of an in situ metal reserve capable of fueling a staggering 280 million electric vehicles.

A growing number of countries, including Germany, France, Spain, Chile, Costa Rica, New Zealand, and Panama, have raised concerns and implored the International Seabed Authority (ISA), an organization affiliated with the United Nations, to refrain from hastily implementing mining regulations by the July 2023 deadline. This critical deadline was established in 2021.

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The delicate marine ecosystem faces potential irreversible damage from mining activities.

Countries such as Brazil, the Netherlands, Portugal, Singapore, and Switzerland have taken an even stronger stance, asserting that they will not approve any mining contracts until stringent environmental safeguards for the seabed are in place, Bloomberg reports. They prioritize protecting the delicate marine ecosystem over short-term mining interests.

In a concerning development, China is intensifying efforts to join the deep-sea mining race for critical minerals, disregarding commitments from prominent companies like Google and automakers BMW, Renault, Volkswagen, and Volvo, who have pledged to avoid using deep-sea metals for now.

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Sediment plumes generated during mining operations can smother and harm marine organisms.

The ISA, established in 1994 to regulate mining in international waters while safeguarding the marine environment, faces a pivotal moment. Previously, the deep sea was viewed as a desolate, lifeless expanse, albeit one brimming with trillions of dollars' worth of cobalt, nickel, and other metals. Present estimates indicate that seabed mining could meet up to 45% of the world's critical metal requirements by 2065, Mining.com reports.

An independent study commissioned by The Metals Company argues that mining metals from the seafloor, such as cobalt and nickel, significantly reduces the environmental impact compared to traditional extraction methods.

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Seafloor ecosystems may take centuries or even millennia to recover from the disturbances caused by mining.

Despite the UN High Seas Treaty, ratified by nearly 200 member countries and aiming to protect up to 30% of the world's oceans beyond national boundaries by 2030, supporters of seabed mining remain undeterred. They assert that their exploration efforts won't be compromised.

According to an annual reports from the Metals Company, the ISA already claims to have exceeded the target by safeguarding 43% of the CCZ. However, since 2001, it has issued exploration contracts for more than 500,000 square miles of seabed in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans to state-backed enterprises, government agencies, and private firms, Mining Engineering reports. Once the ISA establishes mining regulations, which could happen within five weeks, these contractors will have the opportunity to apply for exploitation licenses and commence mining operations. Each company must be sponsored by an ISA member nation.

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The release of toxic chemicals during the mining process can contaminate the surrounding water and impact marine life.

The clock is ticking, and urgent action is needed to protect these newly discovered species and the delicate ecosystems they inhabit. The environmental community must rally together to ensure that deep-sea mining is pursued responsibly, with comprehensive safeguards in place to prevent irreversible damage to our oceans' precious biodiversity.

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