Impossible Metals’ Eureka III 2026 Test in BGR Contract Area of CCZ
CONSULTATION PERIOD NOW OPEN
(January 20 – March 2, 2025)
Impossible Metals plans to carry out testing of the Eureka III selective harvesting vehicle in January/February 2026 within the eastern BGR (German Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources) contract area of the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ).
What is the purpose of the test?
There are two primary purposes of the proposed test:
- To demonstrate the technical feasibility of selectively harvesting polymetallic nodules using Impossible Metals’ Eureka III.
- To monitor and assess the environmental impacts of the test
Who is responsible for testing Eureka III and monitoring?
Impossible Metals is responsible for the development and testing of the Eureka III harvester.
BGR is responsible for the planning, organisation and execution of the environmental monitoring and assessment programme (baseline and impact) in the framework of its exploration activities and obligations.
Impossible Metals and BGR will deploy from two separate vessels during the testing period.
What will be included in the test?
Eureka III is the pilot collector that will be used for this test. It is approximately the size of a 20 foot shipping container, and hovers over the seafloor, using computer vision and robotic arms to pick up the nodules individually, leaving behind a percentage of nodules, including those with visible life.
Eureka III will operate in two different modes for 2 days each (4 days total). The modes differ only in the percentage of nodules that will be picked up. Mode 1 will pick up 90% of nodules and Mode 2 will pick up 50% of nodules. From our initial stakeholder engagement with deep ocean scientists, it was clear that the difference in percentage had to be significant in order to potentially capture a difference in impacts. [Note: currently our economic modeling is based on collecting 70% of nodules].
Sketch of Eureka III test design in the BGR contract area (not to scale).
What impacts will be assessed?
BGR will carry out a variety of monitoring exercises prior to, during, and after the Eureka III test to assess the following broad categories (please see EIS for more detail):
- Fate and toxicity of sediment plumes
- Changes to biological communities
- Benthic biogeochemical changes
- Noise
What impacts will be assessed?
From January 20 – March 2, 2025, there is a public consultation period regarding the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which describes the planned testing and monitoring program, and includes the results of sediment plume modeling.
To download the EIS and to find instructions regarding how to submit comments, please go to the BGR website.
Webinars
As described in Chapter 11 – Consultation in the EIS, two consultation webinars will be held. These webinars will include a plain language description of what is contained in the EIS (primarily focused on testing and monitoring plans), how to navigate the document, and how to submit comments. Following the presentation, there will be time for questions and input, which will be documented and included in the consultation report.
Other methods of consultation
Opportunities will be provided for stakeholders to identify alternate consultation methods that allow them to participate more effectively, with willingness by the BGR (supported by IM) to accommodate requests where possible and reasonable. We anticipate that this may include alternate formats of information (summaries, presentations, information sheets, etc.) and alternate meeting dates/times, among other potential accommodations.
