There are 22 exploration-licensed areas for nodules. Let’s assume all areas go into production and no new areas are added. The average size of each licensed area is 75,000 sq km. Only 50% of that area is mined due to sea slopes, leaving marine protected areas. So the impacted area is approximately 22 * 75,000 * 50% = 825,500 sq km over 30 years. The total surface area of the world’s oceans is approximately 361 million square kilometers. So deep sea mining for nodules will likely be just 0.23% of the world’s oceans after 30 years.
In the case of Impossible Metals, we have committed to leave 30% of the nodules undisturbed so the number would reduce to 577,850 sq km. or 0.16% of the world’s oceans. Every year, 1.4% of the ocean is impacted by trawling fishing, according to a paper published in nature.
