Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: G.2 Which countries control land-based mining for critical metals?

Q: G.6 Why do we refer to our competitors as using dredging tractors with riser pumps?

The U .S. Army Corps of Engineers defines dredging as “ A dredge is a machine that scoops or suctions sediment from the bottom of waterways… ” Although companies are using the ‘ Coanda effect ,’ it is still dredging. The leading dredging companies have built polymetallic nodule collection systems, e.g., All Seas, DEME/GSR, Royal IHC, etc. Dredging tractors for deep sea mining were first described in a 1965 patent, 3,456,371 .

Q: G.8 How do you compare to The Metals Company (TMC)?

Please contact our team if you have any questions that aren’t covered here or would like to discuss your questions or feedback with Impossible Metals.

Impossible Metals Competitors

« Back to FAQs

G.1 Who are Impossible Metals competitors?Holly Nielsen2025-03-10T14:43:24-07:00

G.1 Who are Impossible Metals competitors?

Impossible Metals has competition from land- and ocean-based mining companies for nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese.

G.2 Which countries control land-based mining for critical metals?Holly Nielsen2025-03-10T16:17:19-07:00

G.2 Which countries control land-based mining for critical metals?

G.3 Who makes competing dredging tractor and riser systems?Holly Nielsen2025-10-03T16:48:27-07:00

G.3 Who makes competing dredging tractor and riser systems?

A list of deep sea dredging tractors + Eureka II AUV is here.

G.4 What technical risks do competing dredging tractor and riser systems still have to mitigate?Christian2025-03-10T14:41:34-07:00

G.4 What technical risks do competing dredging tractor and riser systems still have to mitigate?

A number of companies have conducted dredging tractor and riser system deep sea trials; however, the ship-to-ship transfer of the nodules has not been tested. The ship-to-ship transfer of the nodules in the ocean is complex and will likely require very specialized transport ships, including dynamic positioning (DP) and dewatering technology. This article includes more details on this topic.

G.5 How does the cost of Impossible Metals technology compare to dredging technology?Christian2025-10-03T18:55:47-07:00

G.5 How does the cost of Impossible Metals technology compare to dredging technology?

G.5 has moved to Section I.

G.6 Why do we refer to our competitors as using dredging tractors with riser pumps?Holly Nielsen2025-03-10T15:18:30-07:00

G.6 Why do we refer to our competitors as using dredging tractors with riser pumps?

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers defines dredging as “A dredge is a machine that scoops or suctions sediment from the bottom of waterways…”

Although companies are using the ‘Coanda effect,’ it is still dredging. The leading dredging companies have built polymetallic nodule collection systems, e.g., All Seas, DEME/GSR, Royal IHC, etc. Dredging tractors for deep sea mining were first described in a 1965 patent, 3,456,371.

G.7 How do you compare on scaling with your competitors?Holly Nielsen2025-10-03T18:59:12-07:00

G.7 How do you compare on scaling with your competitors?

G.7 has moved to Section I.

G.8 How do you compare to The Metals Company (TMC)?Holly Nielsen2025-10-03T16:55:41-07:00