Opponents of deep sea mining argue that it will damage a pristine environment in an irreversible way. This belief does not account for the impacts of existing mining sources or the opportunity to minimize mining impacts through technology.
All mining removes natural resources from a location, but it has been pursued throughout human history as an indispensable part of economic production. Historically, mining has had a profound and multifaceted impact on civilization, shaping economic growth, technological progress, and infrastructure, while also contributing to environmental degradation, social conflict, and geopolitical tensions. Without mining, there would be no civilization and no technology.
As demand for critical metals increases due to the energy transition, vital infrastructure requirements, digital transformation, and defense resilience, the question becomes: where should mining take place?
We believe it should come from places with the least amount of biomass, where the vast majority of life is microscopic, and no humans are living close to the mine. This is the ocean’s abyssal plains, which are located between 4,000 (2.5 miles) and 6,000 (4 miles) meters deep. Currently, ~75% of nickel is mined in rainforests, and 75% of cobalt mining originates from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with significant environmental and social impacts, including human rights abuses.
Technological innovation can also mitigate the impacts. Impossible Metals’ approach focuses on creating the most environmentally responsible form of mining. Far from creating irreversible damage, this approach maintains existing ecosystems—something never before achieved in mining. See FAQ B.6 What is Impossible Metals’ plan to protect the marine environment? for more information on what that entails. Deep sea mining can be the lowest-cost and lowest-impact source of critical minerals, enabling policies to stop sourcing minerals from rainforests or locations that use child labor.
