A Techno-Economic Assessment of Seabed Mining: American Samoa and Global Implications
Key Takeaway
Seabed mining presents a controversial, yet potentially critical, future supply source for essential minerals needed for the energy transition, posing significant policy and environmental challenges for developers and large consumers reliant on these materials.
AI Summary
- •Seabed mining is gaining traction as a potential, albeit controversial, source for critical minerals like nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese, essential for energy transition technologies and high-tech industries.
- •The debate surrounding seabed mining centers on balancing the strategic need for future mineral supply with significant biological risks and current regulatory uncertainties.
- •A techno-economic assessment underscores the strategic importance of these minerals for national strategies and global supply chains, directly impacting the future cost and availability of key components for developers and large power consumers.
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Article Content
Seabed mining has moved from the fringes of resource speculation into the center of debates about critical minerals, national strategy, and global environmental governance. Proponents frame it as an essential solution to future nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese supply, while opponents highlight the biological risks, the regulatory uncertainty, and the ... [continued] The post A Techno-Economic Assessment of Seabed Mining: American Samoa and Global Implications appeared first on CleanTechnica .