FAQs Archive

Q: A.12 Where are deep sea minerals found?

All of the world's oceans contain deep sea minerals. The international seabed area, under ISA jurisdiction, has issued exploration licenses in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), the Indian Ocean, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and the Pacific Ocean. Many countries contain deep sea minerals within their EEZs, such as the Cook Islands, Norway, Japan, Sweden, India, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, American Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Chile, the United States, Brazil, and China. See countries developing subsea minerals in their EEZs .

Q: A.11 How significant are the reserves for deep sea minerals vs land-based reserves?

71% of our planet's surface area is oceans, and only 29% is land. We have mined on land since the Bronze Age, so the world's oceans contain significantly more nickel, cobalt, and manganese reserves.

Q: A.10 What are the different types of deep sea minerals?

There are four potential sources of deep sea minerals: polymetallic nodules, cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts, seafloor massive sulfides, and rare earth element muds. Polymetallic Nodules (PMN) contain nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese. These potato-sized rocks are found on the abyssal plains lying on the seabed sediment. They do not require cutting, blasting, or tunneling. This is the exclusive focus of Impossible Metals. Cobalt-rich Ferromanganese Crusts (CFC) mainly contain cobalt. They form on sediment-free rock surfaces around oceanic seamounts, ocean plateaus, and other elevated features. Seafloor Massive Sulfides (SMS) mainly contain copper, lead, zinc, and some gold and silver. They appear on and within the seafloor when mineralized water discharges from a hydrothermal vent. The hot, mineral-rich water precipitates and condenses when it meets cold seawater. Most proposed mining is focused on extinct hydrothermal vents. Rare Earth Element Muds (REEM) mainly contain rare earth elements in the seabed sediment.

Q: A.9 Will deep sea minerals replace new land-based mines

Yes. Existing land-based mines will continue to operate, but new land-based mines will not open after deep sea minerals ramp into production. This is because of the cost advantages of extracting deep sea minerals, the size of the resource, and the lower Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) impacts.

Q: A.6 Can deep sea minerals be cost-competitive with land-based mining?

Deep sea minerals will significantly lower recovery costs compared to new land-based mines. Given the high ore grade, four metals in one ore, and low infrastructure costs, deep sea minerals extracted from polymetallic nodules will be the lowest cost of all forms of mining. In addition, the ocean seabed is the world’s largest source of nickel, cobalt, and manganese, and selective harvesting will have the lowest environmental impact. For more details, see this blog post, “ Why Will Deep Sea Mining Be Less Expensive Than Traditional Land-Based Mining? ”

Q: A.5 How long does it take for a land-based mineral deposit to get into production?

According to S&P Global, mining companies take an average of 23 years from discovery to production; in the US, it’s 29 years .

A.12 Where are deep sea minerals found?

A.11 How significant are the reserves for deep sea minerals vs land-based reserves?

A.10 What are the different types of deep sea minerals?

A.9 Will deep sea minerals replace new land-based mines

A.6 Can deep sea minerals be cost-competitive with land-based mining?

A.5 How long does it take for a land-based mineral deposit to get into production?

Impossible Metals

STAY INFORMED

Connect with Us

Policies

STAY INFORMED

Connect with Us

Impossible Metals

Policies